When I Find You
by Two Random Otakus
Summary: Twin girls Holly and Anya, ophaned by a pirate raid, find themselves once again wrapped up in the strange world of the seafarers. Captains Antonio Carriedo and Arthur Kirkland are in a tight spot. How will they find where they belong? CountriesXOC's.
1. Chapter 1

**Well, hey there, y'all! This is Maya Koppori and Christina in our first ever collaboration fanfiction! We're relatively unknown on this site, but we're hoping to change that. This _is _an AU fic, so don't trash us over details, please. So yeah. Pirates. Human names used. Not countries in this fic, just attractive seamen. Light Hetalian humor here and there, if you can catch it.**

**Disclaimer: No, we don't own it. We just write randomness for praise from strangers and a way out of homework. Please enjoy^^**

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><p>The night was pitch black, and the ocean was a roiling mass of black ice water as it crashed over and over on the sandy beach. A tall blond with a pony tail, alongside an albino with a German accent and red eyes, stepped onto the shore. The blond looked around the small town. It was a simple village, quiet and peaceful. He looked with pity at the citizens cowering in fear. "Gilbert, nous ne faisons pas effrayer les gens." "<em>Gilbert, we should not scare the people<em>." He turned to the man, supposedly called Gilbert, and motioned towards them.

"I know Francis. I wasn't trying." The albino growled and addressed the gathered people. "Okay, people! You're going to listen to me right now. Me and my friend here are going to search your houses and take anything of value we can find. Anyone who objects will shot on the spot. Do you understand?" He looked around venomously. He saw the people nod their heads in fear, and watched him warily as he walked by. Francis walked behind Gilbert, keeping his distance from him. While Gilbert went into a small shack next to the town shop, Francis went into the one across the street.

It was pretty run-down, only big enough for about two people to live in it. The blond wandered around quietly, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall. He noticed there were only two people featured in each of the frames; a set of twins girls, about the age of ten, posed in them. One particular photo caught Francis's eye. The younger one, presumably, was clambering on the back of the other, wearing a bright smile. She had bright red-hazel eyes, and mocha colored hair cascading in ringlets down to her shoulders. The other sister, presumably the older one, had her coffee colored hair up in a half pony tail, pulling her wavy hair back from her face. The set of amethyst orbs the older one showcased slightly clashed with the annoyed tone on her face.

Francis smiled at it slightly; it reminded him fondly of his friend Antonio's younger brothers Feliciano and Lovino. Now, given they weren't twins, but still, it reminded him of the two rascals. The Frenchman moved slowly along the dark hallway, his heavy leather boots clicking rhythmically in time as he approached the first door. He opened it warily, as the door made a creaking noise on its hinges. It was a closet, a rather large one at that, and it was empty. The other rooms faired the same; bedrooms, closets, a bath, but nothing worth taking.

Eventually, after what felt like forever, he reached the door at the end of the corridor. This door didn't creak when it opened, however. The door opened soundlessly to reveal a narrow wooden staircase. Francis took the creaking stairs slowly until he reached the top, where he found the only bedroom that looked like it had been touched in the last century. The room was painted a rouge color, only making it feel darker. There were oil lamps lit in the back corners, providing the light needed in between flashes of lightning. He walked in quietly, the boot clicks ceasing as he stepped onto a white crème colored carpet. The single cast iron bed in the middle was clad in a black quilt, adorned here and there with patches of red and violet floral patterned swatches.

The corners of the rooms where the lamps rested, however, are where the same-ness ended. In one corner, the lamp rested on top of a bookshelf, adorned with many manga, novels, a few Spanish textbooks, and everything in between. There was a small mat for sitting, along with a table and a desk. The other side had a bookshelf with manga, but the other bookshelves were stuffed to the brim with stuffed animals and sketchbooks, and a viola case (it was too big to be a violin, so it had to be a viola of course) rested on top of the bookcase. It sat atop a couple of French textbooks and a couple more music folders.

He smiled to himself once again. Whoever lived here was obviously into the arts, musical or otherwise. He wandered about the room for a few minutes, rifling through drawers, before hearing the scuffling of feet along the wooden floor where the large carpet ended. He immediately stopped his embarkation around the room and listened intently. He eventually decided to look in the closet, seeing as how that was the only place he hadn't looked.

He opened the door slowly, and was greeted by the two faces of the girls he had seen in the picture. The older one held the younger one in the back of the closet, holding a gun and a knife close to her in case he tried to get any closer than he already was.

"Filles? Ne pas être peur." "_Girls? Don't be afraid_." He tried using his French, hoping one of them would know what he was saying.

The younger one, scared out of her mind and almost in tears, looked at him and responded, "Sil te plaît…ne faisons blesser pas moi et ma sœur…sil te plait…" "_Please…Don't hurt me and my sister…please_…" The girl replied haltingly, trying to not mess up. He smiled reassuringly and got down on one knee. He reached out a hand to the girls.

The older twin growled and grabbed the knife instantly, thrusting it forward. The tip of the knife threatened to cut its way through his hand. He smiled and took the knife slowly and unthreateningly, laying it on the floor. He reached forward again and ruffled the younger twin's hair softly. She looked up at him, the tears threatening to spill over her rosy cheeks.

Remembering the Spanish books from the shelf, Francis drew upon the scant Spanish that Antonio had taught him. "No estoy aquí para hacerte daño. ¿Son ustedes dos aquí solo?" "_I'm not here to hurt you. Are you two here alone_?" He looked at the older twin.

"Yes," she replied without missing a beat. Although he had taken her knife, Francis could tell that the girl's suspicion was fading. "Our parents were taken from us." A loud crash came from downstairs.

"Francis! Did you find anything?" Gilbert's voice boomed from downstairs, the German accent thick and prominent as his boots clicked their way up the wooden staircase. Francis motioned for the girls to be silent and hid them under a few coats.

"No, Gilbert. There isn't anything here worth taking." He emerged from the closet, closing it sharply.

Gilbert let out an annoyed sigh. "I asked around to see who lived here. Apparently it's just a couple of no good brats. Parents were kidnapped by other pirates or something." He turned around and looked at the room as Francis had earlier. "At least they're educated. We might have to come find them again one day." He turned and stiffly walked out, knocking over a glass vase in the room as he left. They heard him laugh and slam the door again, leaving Francis there to debate what to do. He opened the closet again as soon as he was sure the albino wouldn't hear them and looked at the girls. The younger one was trembling in fear as the older one held the gun.

"It's fine. He's gone. Relax." The purple-eyed girl laid the gun down as her sister ran over to the Frenchman, hugging him. "Please don't let him take us…don't let him take us like he did mommy and daddy…please don't let him hurt anyone…" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

He smiled down at her. "Don't worry, ma bonbon. He won't." She nodded and went back over to her twin. He bid them farewell as he walked out of the house, humming as he went. The storm had let up, and the sun was rising. The raid was over; it was time to head back out and let the wind lead them to their next destination.

_**Four years later…**_

"Yo no sé… darn it! Yo no _conozco_ a… nadie!" The girl finally ground out. "Stupid affirmatives and negatives!"

"Don't you give me that, Anya," the Spanish teacher chided. "You and your sister are the best language students this town has seen in a long time. Madam Beaudelaire tells me that Holly is her best student, as you are mine. You'll get this, I promise. Here, try this activity…"

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><p>Holly yawned and stared out the window. Her seat gave her a perfect view of the sea. No matter how many times she saw it, the beautiful water amazed her and stole her heart over and over again. She blinked. Her eyes must be playing tricks on her; she could have sworn that there was a smudge on the horizon. Her eyes tracked the silent shape as it grew steadily larger and closer.<p>

"A ship," she whispered.

"Would you like to share something with the class, Holly?"

Holly jumped at her French teacher's tone. "N-No, madam! I was just watching the ship outside!"

The teacher turned pale. "A ship? Don't be silly, dear. Supply ships only come once a month and the last one only came last week." She laughed nervously, turning back to her French class of only eight people.

Holly quickly lost interest in her speech about transitive verbs; she knew all of that already. After meeting that kind Frenchman named Francis, the young girl had redoubled her efforts in learning the language. As she turned her eyes back to the sea, however, Holly felt unease poking at her stomach. There was a ship there; she was positive. It wasn't flying the colors of the merchants, either. Through the light fog that had been lingering since dawn, Holly could barely make out a smattering of white against a pitch black rectangle of cloth.

"The skull and bones!" Everyone jumped at Holly's outburst. She was wide awake now, and overcome with terror. "Madam! It's pirates!"

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><p>"What is going on?" Señora Arroz grumbled. "Everyone, stay in your seats. I'm going to see what the noise is about." The Spanish teacher exited the classroom and stalked across the hall to the French class. The school was small, typical of such a small town, and loud noises could be heard throughout the whole building.<p>

The Spanish class remained hushed until an ear-shattering scream rang out. Anya threw her texts aside without a second thought; she knew that scream. Something had frightened her little sister, and she was going to find out what and, if possible, pound it to a pulp. Anya tore across the hall and flung open the classroom door.

"Holly! What-?" Anya was cut off as her younger twin threw herself around her middle.

"Pirates," Holly sobbed. "Anya, it's pirates! They just came ashore, look!" Anya pulled her sister off of her long enough to look out the window, where all of the students and teachers were crowded. A great Spanish galleon was anchored a few hundred yards off shore. A longboat rowed by at least two dozen sailors had just run aground on the shore. Two resplendent figures jumped down from the prow of the vessel and the rest followed their lead. They were headed straight for the school.

Holly was frozen, unable to even cry out again. Pirates, pirates, pirates! Why did it have to be pirates, of all things? Pirates had taken everything from the twins except each other, and they were determined not to let them take that, too.

Holly looked at her sister fearfully. "What's going to happen, sis?" Anya didn't look away from the pirates. She tracked their path to the school building until they were close enough to see the whites of their eyes.

"Nothing is going to happen," she said finally. "We're going to stay out of their way and stay together. I want you to promise me that you won't draw attention to yourself; the monsters will want to make an example of someone."

"I-I promise!"

* * *

><p>Captain Arthur Kirkland sniffed disdainfully at the huddled mass of schoolchildren. The teachers had been moved out of the room at gunpoint, leaving the students to simply sit and stare at their captors in silence. Arthur paced slowly, letting himself show off for the younger kids. He knew they were in awe of him; it was written all over their faces. This town was an easy target for raids, but it was so poor that pirates rarely bothered. Most of the children had never seen a real pirate this close.<p>

Suddenly, a soft glint caught his eye. A young teen was fiddling with an earring that one of the crew had dropped. Next to the girl was an older one who had to be her sister. They had the same dark tresses, and were nearly identical except for their eyes. The older one followed his gaze and immediately chastised her sister, whispering harshly. The younger squeaked and shoved the shiny bauble into her lap, trying to melt into the floor.

Something about the twins' antics tickled a memory at the back of Arthur's mind; two siblings who could be compared to Lovino and Feli…

"Oi, Antonio," Arthur remarked. Every child in the room stiffened at his harsh tone. "Don't those two remind you of someone?" Antonio Carriedo looked up from his map. He un-propped his boots from the teacher's desk and swaggered over to Arthur. He scrutinized Holly and Anya for only a moment before grinning widely.

"Si, hermano! They are so like little Lovi and Feli! Far too pretty to be my brothers, though…" He knelt in front of the twins, a curious glint in his eyes. "Arthur, didn't Francis say something about stopping here a few years ago? Said there was a set of little twins who reminded him of my hermanitos." He reached a hand forward, only to receive an icy glare from Anya.

Holly, however, was intrigued. "Did you say Francis? Very tall, blond hair in a ponytail? Has a scary friend with red eyes?"

"Holly, you idiot, shut-!"

"Come now, hermana," Antonio cut in. "Let your hermanita speak, no? It seems you two have met Francis before… They must be the girls Gilbert told us about, Arthur!" He stood again, staring at the twins in their kneeling position on the floor. "Who knew? This is some coincidence. Francis will be glad to know they're doing alright, at least. He wouldn't shut up about you two for weeks, you know."

Holly's eyes lit up. The Frenchman had talked about them! Suddenly, these pirates didn't seem as scary as they had before. They were friends with her hero, and that was good enough for her. Anya's elbow to the side, however, brought her back to reality. _Right. Pirates. They're holding us hostage. That's bad... right?_

The crewman on watch at the door gave a shout, and suddenly the room flooded with the fathers of all of the children in the school. Each was armed with a tool of his trade; rakes, hammers, wrenches, and even frying pans were present as the townsmen rallied to protect their children. The pirate crew was quickly forced into the corner; they might have weapons, but they didn't have the desperation of a parent.

"Wow," Antonio said lazily. "Gilbert said that this town was spineless. When did you honest people grow a backbone?"

"We don't want trouble," one man shouted. His eyes were fixed on a small boy in the group of children. "You can have anything you want, but leave our children alone!"

"Be calm, gents," Arthur cut in. He strolled casually to stand by Antonio and the twins, who were still on the ground. "There's no need to get excited; maybe we should just get to the _point_." The captain drew his cutlass from his belt, letting it dangle inches from Holly's hair.

"Touch my sister and you're dead, pirate!" Anya growled. She tried to pull Holly back, but the point of Arthur's sword was suddenly resting on her sister's collarbone.

"Arthur," Antonio warned. The villagers had the rest of their crew surrounded. Even if their weapons were primitive, the message was clear. They were at a standoff.

"Hush, tomato lover. I know what I'm doing," Arthur hissed. To the townsmen, he made a proposition. "I am a reasonable pirate. I try to avoid unnecessary violence. But if you intend to harm my crew, I'm afraid bloodshed can't be avoided."

"No!" Holly yelped. "Please, don't hurt me or my sister!" The sword tip quivered at her neck. Anya gritted her teeth, hating herself for not being able to protect her own little sister.

"Siléncio, mi corazon," Antonio shushed gently. "He won't hurt you, hermanita. We just need to get out of here alive, no?"

"You heard the girl," Arthur said. "If you don't want her gizzards spilled on this floor, you're going to drop your weapons. Now."

"¿Qué está diciendo ese idiota?" Anya grumbled.

Antonio was surprised, but grinned and answered, "No sé, señorita. I honestly don't know." The men reluctantly let their tools clatter uselessly to the floor. The pirates instantly looked to their captains for orders.

"We're done here, men," Antonio called. "These honorable hombres have convinced us."

"But," Arthur added. "We're going to need some insurance that you all don't come after us, aren't we? After all, you surprised us once by fighting back; we can't be sure you won't do it again." He hoisted Holly to her feet, keeping the sword in plain view. "This girl is coming with us; once we're out of the harbor, I'll send her back in a dinghy. There will be no negotiation. Men, move out!"

Anya's mind went blank. It was really happening. Were these presumptuous pirates really taking away the only family she had left? Over her dead body!

"I'm coming too!" she yelled. Ignoring the blade across her sister's neck, Anya latched on to Holly's arm. "You mongrels aren't taking her away from me. I'm going to make sure you keep your promise!"

Arthur smirked. "Don't you think you should ask your parents first, young lady?"

Holly sniffed, and a single tear coursed down her cheek to meet the cold steel at her throat. "We- our parents died a long time ago," she whimpered.

Arthur stole a glance at Antonio, raising his rather large eyebrows in a questioning look that seemed to say, _What now?_

Antonio shrugged, a gesture that Arthur took to mean, _It's your show, hermano._

Arthur shook off his mood and smiled brightly at Holly. "What luck! Now we won't have to worry them! Right this way, ladies." He sheathed his sword and, to the twins' complete shock, offered Holly his arm while Antonio did the same for Anya.

Antonio laughed at Anya's wary look; she seemed to be contemplating whether or not his sleeve would bite her. "Don't act so surprised, hermanita. Just because we're pirates doesn't mean we aren't gentlemen!" The twins automatically followed the pirates out of the school building; really, what choice did they have? And if what Arthur had said was true, they would be back home in no time, right?

Right?

The two teen twins were escorted to the ship slowly, the entire town watching as they trudged up the wooden planks onto the ship. Pirates followed them on each side, making sure they neither tried to escape, nor did any townspeople interfere with the plan.

The ship was rather large and majestic. It wasn't what a typical boat seemed like; the deck was well kept, no large bugs or rats were scurrying about; in addition, the wood was in tip top condition, so they knew it wouldn't fall in from under them any time soon. The girls were escorted to the captain's office. The door wasn't locked behind them, but they were afraid to venture outside.

When they arrived, the first thing Holly did, of course, was adventure around. She didn't go through the papers on the desk of course (that would be rude and going into other people's business), but she simply roamed about the room. This room in particular was nice; there were oil lamps hanging on the wall (normally, offices like this might have torches, but a wooden ship and torches? Not happening.), and on the back wall, there were quite a few maps hung.

Holly was joined by Anya a few minutes later, and they spent some time in silence studying them. The maps were covered in different colors of inks; Anya guessed that these were the routes they had planned, the routes they had already embarked upon, or the route they might have currently been trekking.

_Thump_. Holly visibly jumped and let out a squeak as the brunette captain walked into the cabin. He smiled fondly at the two and stood behind them, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Ah, admiring the maps, I see?" He moved his hand from Anya's shoulder and pointed at the map with purple ink written on it. "Do you see this route right here? This is the one we're on right now." His hand spread and he trailed it unthreateningly across the map, pulling Holly closer. Anya let out a threatening sound, but Antonio simply ignored it and continued rambling for some time.

"Oh, my. I completely forgot!" He swiftly dropped down upon one knee and grabbed Holly's hand. She blushed darkly, watching him in curiosity. "I am Captain Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. But please, the two of you may refer to me as Antonio, or Toni. Whichever you prefer." He kissed Holly's hand softly before turning to the older twin, who simply watched him, uninterested.

Was that a glimmer of admiration Anya had just seen in her sister's eyes? No way; she wasn't going to let her sister get comfortable with these people, if they could even be referred to as humans.

"Captain Carriedo! Storm!" One of the crew members yelled out. The ship suddenly tilted to a side, causing the two twins to cry out and fall. One of the unlit glass lamps crashed to the floor and spewed shards of glass across the boards. Antonio instantly hit the ground and caught the twins, pulling them over to a corner and holding them down with his body until the ship was re-stabilized. As soon as he was able to help the two into the captain's cabin where he and Arthur slept, he ran out to help, his boots clicking to the door as he closed it gently.

Anya and Holly lay back against the walls of the captains' room, shaking along with the ship. They had fallen hard, even with Antonio there to catch them. Holly was whimpering and trying not to wince at a sharp pain in her leg. After what seemed like a long time, the rocking of the boat subsided.

The Spanish man soon returned, holding a bottle of beer (or was it whiskey?) and a few swatches of cloth, assumed to be used for the bandaging of their wounds. He was dripping, a sure sign of the tempest that had upset the ship. He leaned down to Anya's level first. She had impaled her arm on the edge of a table when she fell; it wasn't deep, but it was bleeding badly. "Ok, now this is going to hurt, but it'll keep it from being infected. Stay still."

He gripped Anya's arm and poured a bit of the alcohol onto the wound, instantly putting the rag over it and pressing down. Anya held back a yelp of pain, but it eventually subsided to a dull, throbbing ache. He wrapped a clean rag around her elbow and patted in gently, smiling at her. She grudgingly muttered her thanks.

Next was Holly, who was sure to flip out. He gently pulled out a piece of glass that had managed to lodge itself not too far into her knee. She was surprised when the careful extraction didn't hurt at all. Antonio lifted her knee and repeated the process of disinfecting her wound, quietly telling her to stay still.

"That wasn't so bad!" Antonio grinned and put the rags in a bucket in the corner, soon to be washed by the crew no doubt. There was a loud bang, and Arthur entered the cabin, also soaked to the bone. He looked relieved when he saw that the girls hadn't been seriously hurt.

"It's bad, Toni," he sighed. "The storm threw us miles off course. We've been blown halfway to India!" He shed his sodden coat and fell into a chair. After a minute of silence, he addressed Holly directly. "I hope you two realize you aren't going to be able to go back home at the moment." Arthur looked at the two warily, waiting for their reaction.

Holly was the first to speak. "But Captain, you said we could go home once we were out of the harbor!" The younger girl pouted at the Captains, a little bit hurt. She wanted to trust these men.

"Lo siento, cariño," Antonio apologized. "But we're a long way out of your harbor, now. You heard what Artie said; we're far away from your home." He stood and pointed at the twins' home on the map. "We were here, but now we are somewhere around… here!" He tapped a point a little ways off from the diamond shaped peninsula of India. "It will take at least another two weeks to get back to your town against the wind and current."

"Two _weeks?_" Anya spluttered. She grasped Holly's hand to steady herself. "We are not staying here with you pirates for two weeks!"

"You and your sister don't have much of a choice, love. Unless, of course, you want to swim home." Arthur knelt in front of the twins. "I'm very sorry about all of this. We never meant for this little visit to be extended; we just needed a way out of that situation back there."

Anya looked on with horror as her twin nodded her understanding. "That makes sense. Mister Arthur, could you please take us back home? You promised!"

"Well, this has put us far behind schedule. We were actually on the run from the imperial navy of Japan. We raided a major port town a few months ago and couldn't shake them for weeks. That storm gave us a major heading, which would be wonderful if not for you two being on board. Antonio failed to mention that it would be suicide for us to turn around now. If the Japanese navy is still waiting for us-"

"Then _Hetalia_, and all of her crew, will be at the bottom before we know it," Antonio finished sadly. "But we can't let that happen; these men have put their faith in us, as we have put our faith in them. It pains me, señoritas, but we just can't take you home. You'll have to stay with us until we're sure the navy has given up on capturing us."

A knock on the cabin door interrupted them. "Come in," the captains called in unison. A deck hand, aged maybe in his mid-forties, entered the cabin and saluted smartly.

"Ah, Javier!" Antonio beamed. "What's the damage?"

"The mast held, thank goodness, but it'll be slow going until we clean up the mess up on deck. We need to patch up the mainsail and repair the yardarm, as well. No one was lost, but we have three down in the sick bay that were knocked out. The crew would also like to know where we are now. End report."

"Right then," Arthur sighed. "Javier, get Smith to the sick bay to treat the injured. Tell the crew we're just off the west coast of India. And while you're at it, kindly inform everyone that we have guests who will be accompanying us on this voyage." Holly waved shyly while Anya glared at all three pirates.

"Javier, these girls are to be treated like ladies, do you understand?" Antonio instructed. "If any man of ours wrongs either of them, have him keelhauled!"

"Aye, Captain. I will inform the rest of the men about..." He trailed off before addressing Anya, assuming she was the older sibling. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, señorita." Anya smirked lightly at Javier's dialect; was every other pirate here Spanish?

"I'm Holly," the younger twin gushed when Anya retained her silence. "And this is my big sister Anya!"

"Very well, Holly and Anya. Captains." With that, Javier bowed and stiffly exited the cabin to go about his duties.

Arthur watched him go, amused by his strange behavior, before turning to the other captain. "I can't believe you were down here with them this whole time and didn't ask their names, Toni."

"Callar! We were in a bit of a situation, si?" Antonio smiled at the twins as he helped them to their feet. "Holly and Anya... Your names are beautiful, just like the two of you. You should rest now, and make yourselves at home; Arthur and I need to help out on deck. Hasta luego, sirenitas!"

After the captains left, Holly collapsed on the bed with a prominent blush on her cheeks. "I don't know what he just said, but didn't it sound sweet?"

Anya's Spanish wasn't all that great, but even she had figured it out. "He called us little mermaids," she stated. "How is that sweet?"

"It just is!" Her sister's eyes were shining. "Anya, isn't this a great adventure? And the captains are so handsome! How old do you think they are?"

"Holly?"

"Yeah, sis?"

"Do us both a favor and _wake up!_" Anya yelled. "Look around; we're miles from home on a pirate ship being held hostage! Stop daydreaming about the cute pirates and think for a minute!"

"...So you admit that they're handsome!" She dodged a pillow thrown by her sister. "I'm kidding! I know what situation we're in! But this isn't as bad as you think; look at how nice Toni and Arthur are."

"Don't _call _them that," Anya groaned. She sat down on the bed next to her sister. "Look; no matter how nice they are, it doesn't change the fact that those guys are wanted criminals. There are Japanese ships chasing them down right now, and I don't want either of us to get caught up in this!"

"What else can we do?" Holly asked rationally. "Arthur was right; it's not like we could swim back! What did we have back home, anyway? It was you and me against the world. As long as we stay together, I don't care where we are." She gave Anya her best pouting look, the one that had worked since they were six. Anya eventually sighed and mumbled something under her breath.

"What was that? I didn't hear you~"

"I said fine! We can stay, but just until the navy stops chasing us."

"Love you, sis!"

"Whatever."

* * *

><p>"We look ridiculous," Anya muttered.<p>

"No way! These outfits are so cool!"

"Holly, we look like boys."

"_You_ might; I think I look great!"

"We look _exactly the same._"

"Well, then you look great, too!" Holly modeled in front of the floor length mirror, admiring her new clothes. After talking it over with Toni and Arthur, it had been decided that the twins' school uniforms just weren't going to cut it for a long distance sea voyage. The Captains had generously offered some of their older clothes that were close to Holly and Anya's size, and they had both gratefully accepted. Their itchy wool uniforms had been switched for loose-fitting white shirts and black pants, with matching brown belts and boots. Holly thought they looked quite the picture, but Anya was having second thoughts. The fact that the captains were giving them clothes implied that they would be staying for quite some time.

"Can we come in, Holly? Anya?" Anya hated herself for becoming accustomed to the British pirate's voice so quickly.

"Yes!" Holly chimed. Arthur entered his cabin with Antonio in tow. "Toni!" Holly cried, tackling the Spaniard in a hug. "Thank you both so much for letting us borrow these clothes!"

Antonio laughed and complimented them both on their new looks. Arthur did the same, face flushed and eyes jittery. Holly noticed Arthur's eyes for the first time; they were a brilliant green, like the shallows of the tide pools back home. She looked away, blushing, as Antonio gestured for all of them to sit on the floor together. Anya pulled her sister down to sit with her across from the pirates.

"I need you two to listen closely; there are certain protocols that you both need to specifically follow." Holly nodded quickly and enthusiastically while Anya just shrugged, not interested at all. As if she was going to follow these pirates orders.

"First off; your living accommodations. We've had the crew build two extra beds for you two; we're having both of you stay in our cabin with us. One reason is because...well, the crew is full of a bunch of...uh...strange people, if you get what I mean. Loonies and all." Holly giggled at this, Anya stabbing her side with her elbow to shut up. She squeaked and sat up quickly, straightening her back and stifling her laughter. "Second reason is because we don't want the two of you separated. You seem to be very close; we don't want to make a mistake like that." He smiled softly at the two girls and moved on to his next point.

"Next, you are allowed to go about the ship as you please. If any of the crew members try anything or do anything to make you upset or uncomfortable, get me or Artie and we'll deal with it." He smirked lightly at this, Arthur simply sighing.

"Moving _on,_ you can roam the ship like Toni said. The only thing we ask of you is when it's too dark outside, is to please come back to the cabin. We don't want you out there when it's dark. It's dangerous." He shivered slightly. "And if you decide to go out on the deck any time after that, you need to inform us so we don't panic if you aren't here."

Anya sighed; that was the one thing she was looking forward to. Now she would have to tell one of the captains anytime she went out on the deck to stargaze. Just. Lovely.

"Next, there _will_ be times that we are going to be attacked; it happens to every crew. When that happens, you _have_ to go below deck. We can't lose either of you." The Spaniard looked to both girls. "You have to hide in the crates we have down there- there are empty ones, don't worry- and stay in there until either me or Arthur come and get you. You have to stay quiet; most of the pirates out here will take no mercy and shoot you on the spot." Holly felt a cold shiver of fear jolt up her spine; that scared her more than anything.

"Finally, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, cries of outrage..." Holly laughed again, but this time Anya giggled a bit as well. "Just come talk to either of us. Javier is also a trusted member of our crew; go talk to him too if you can't find either of us. And please remember; these rules aren't to restrict you. We only want to make sure you're safe until we can escort you home." Arthur smiled as he finished the sentence. "So, do any of those points need to be addressed?" Both girls shook their heads 'no', and they all got up to wander around.

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><p><strong>Wow, this long already, huh? Don't worry, there's a <em>lot <em>more where this came from. Christina-chan didn't want to post at all yet (we have lots more so far) but I convinced her to put this up. You're welcome^^ Don't forget, we aren't close to being through. Expect adventure, romance, and awkward situations in the future. Please R&R!**

**~Random Otakus are Random~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, again! Thanks for the awesome response, guys! We got a ton of subs and faves just _two hours _after posting last week. And you guys who reviewed? YOU ROCK! Once again, Christina and Maya do not own Hetalia. Although we did steal the name for a ship... I was out of ideas^^' Enjoy chapter two!**

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><p>Days passed slowly on the <em>Hetalia.<em> The crew, as promised, was polite as pie to Holly and Anya. The Japanese ship that was supposedly pursuing them never came into sight, but it gave the twins little comfort. They were still sailing farther and farther away from home. Sometime in the second week of their stay on the ship, Anya woke up to find the other beds in the cabin empty. Her first reaction was to freak out about the whereabouts of her sister, but she quickly calmed down. She changed out of her nightgown and raced up onto the top deck, where she found Arthur and Holly staring worriedly up at the sky.

"Where did you guys go?" Anya snapped. "Do you know how worried I was?" Holly shushed her twin with a wave of her hand and pointed up to the crow's nest. Anya craned her neck to see Antonio and Javier gazing across the shimmering waters. Antonio suddenly gave a yell and descended through the rigging.

"German," he called out. "Sixteen guns, flying the colors, coming in fast! Brace yourselves; they're here to fight!" He jumped down onto the top deck and ran about, giving orders as he went.

"Come with me," Arthur ordered. The tone of his voice left no room for argument, even for Anya. The girls followed him through the pandemonium on deck down to the cargo bay. "Hurry hurry hurry!" the blond muttered. There were several large crates along with sacks of food and materials. Arthur laced his fingers together and boosted Holly into one of the empty boxes. He did the same for Anya before closing them in. It was dark in the crate, but the twins could barely make out each other's silhouettes. "Listen, you need to stay here and stay quiet. If anyone comes down here, don't make a single sound." Even Anya was surprised by the vehemence in the captain's voice. "Either I or Antonio will come and get you when the fighting is done; do not answer to anyone else, no matter what they say. Got it?"

"Yes," they whispered together.

"Good. Don't worry; I'll be back for you. I promise." The twins heard his sprinting footsteps across the wooden boards, the slam of a door, and then silence. Holly grasped Anya's hand tightly, but didn't dare make a noise. Anya squeezed back reassuringly. It didn't matter if she didn't fully trust Arthur yet (which she didn't). The one thing she could trust was that, for some reason, the captains wanted to protect them. If it meant keeping her and Holly safe, Anya knew she would follow whatever idiotic plan that those two had cooked up down to the letter.

Arthur raced quickly back to the main deck, drawing his sword instantaneously as one of the rogues ran toward him. He quickly dodged the attack and kicked the attacker's feet out from under him as he passed. The captain stomped gently on the pirate's back, the tip of his sword lying on the nape of the German's neck. "Stay down. I wouldn't suggest fighting back."

Antonio, meanwhile, was fighting a taller foe; he had platinum hair and eyes the same color as the skies above. Rapiers were thrust back and forth, yet never did one graze the other.

"I hope you've taken good care of them," the enemy panted. "We'll want them undamaged once you're out of the way." Toni flinched, losing an inch of ground. For a moment, he had thought that the other man had been referring to the twins. But he knew now what these upstarts were after.

The Spanish captain was snapped out of his reverie by the other's sword against his own. Seeing that he was being backed into a corner, he maneuvered the fight so that he could back his way from the main to upper deck, where the fighting was less intense. The two were almost evenly matched, but Antonio couldn't last forever. They fought upon the upper deck, and eventually Antonio's sword was knocked away from him. The brunette lunged forward to grab it, but the blond simply stood on it.

"Where are they?" he growled at him, looking for an answer.

"I won't tell you..." Toni murmured. The German's sword threatened to stab his shoulder.

"Where. Are. They?" he repeated menacingly.

"I'm not going to tell you!" Antonio shouted. He didn't even flinch as the German slashed his blade across his shoulder. "Heh, you think that'll hurt me?" he smirked. He tore his own sword out from under his opponent's boot and turned the tables. He knocked him to the ground, said a quick prayer for the man, and finished his business. Then he went away to help his friend and crew mates.

* * *

><p>"Anya, I just can't stay here!" She groaned and kicked the wall of wood across from her.<p>

"You heard the captain, Holly. We have to stay put and stay safe," Anya scolded. Surely Holly didn't think that she would allow her to go out there!

"I'm not going to just sit here while Toni and Artie are up there fighting! They might need help!" She took a breath and braced her hands against the ceiling of their wooden shelter. With a jump and a push, the lid of the crate clunked to the floor. The brunette jumped up the side of the crate and out.

"Holly, stop! Get back in here and-!"

"Anya, I'm going to go help. You can't stop me, so you might as well come with me!" Her younger twin smirked. "Unless, of course, you want to stay here alone and let me go fight by myself..." Anya groaned both outwardly and inwardly. Why was her sister so confusingly rebellious? And how did she always manage to talk her into things like this, no matter how stupid? Holly helped her out of the box, making sure she didn't trip. "Welcome aboard," she laughed.

"Whatever, Holly. Do you actually have a plan? What are we going to fight with?" She looked around the cargo bay, sorting through mounds of junk. Holly looked for only a moment before pulling two blackened frying pans. The paint was scratched off, and they were dented horribly.

"With these!" Holly hefted the pan, giving a few practice swings.

"That could work," Anya admitted. She smiled for the first time in days. "This might be more fun than I thought..."

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><p>"Toni! Are you alright?" Arthur was back to back with the Spaniard, both pushing back against enemy swords from all sides.<p>

"'Tis nothing but a scratch, hermano! I'm feeling great," he laughed as he knocked an enemy over the top rail. The German fell with a splash into the clear waters. The crew wasn't doing badly, either. The attackers were obviously tiring; the day would soon belong to the _Hetalia_. Now Arthur's only worry was how the girls were doing...

"Artie, look!" Antonio pointed toward the front of the ship. The Englishman parried a blow and twisted his head around, gasping at what he saw. The twins were back to back, beating the rogue pirates off easily (were those frying pans?) and efficiently. Both Javier and Smith were fighting alongside them, but it was obvious that the girls had everything under control. They had each other's backs, each covering for and protecting the other. Antonio and Arthur fought with renewed vigor, eager to get these men off of their ship. In a matter of minutes, the German ship signaled a retreat. They sailed away; injured and humbled, but lucky to have escaped with their lives.

"Byeee, piratessss!" Holly waved cheerfully as they sailed off. Anya smacked the ditzy girl's head and stopped her. She jerked her head urgently at something behind them. The girls immediately started to slink back to their cabin, but froze at the familiar click of leather boots behind them.

"Ahem," Arthur coughed at the craven girls. Hazel and violet eyes widened in fear, and the twins slowly turned to meet their fate. Arthur approached first, standing urbanely in front of Holly. Eventually he bent at his waist to look at her eye-to-eye. "I believe I asked you to stay put, did I not?" She nodded cautiously. "And knowing you, it was your idea to leave the crates and try to help, wasn't it?" She nodded again, looking down.

Arthur sighed and ruffled Holly's hair. "I'm not going to lie; that was very brave of you, and Toni and I are touched that you wanted to help. But please, don't scare us like that again, okay?" She nodded one last time before receiving a crushing hug from Antonio.

Anya gave a strangled cry. Holly pulled away from the captain and gasped at the blood on his shirt. "Oh my goodness! Toni, what happened to you?"

He quickly waved her off. "It's fine! Trust me, I've had worse." Holly stopped fussing but still looked concerned. Anya watched her sister quietly. "You girls need to have a siesta; you fought well today. Don't worry; we'll wake you in time for dinner." Anya nodded coolly and led her sister below decks without another word.

The battle had been relatively short, with no casualties and very few minor injuries. After getting bandaged up, Antonio joined Arthur in congratulating the men as a group and raising a cheer for the best crew to ever sail the oceans. Away from the others, the captains gave Smith and Javier their heartfelt thanks for looking after the girls. They laughed, and said that it had been the twins looking out for them. As the crew started a celebration, Arthur nudged Antonio and gestured that he follow him. He shrugged and trailed after his friend, something tugging at his mind.

"Arthur," he said slowly. "One of the officers of that ship... He said they came here for _them_." Arthur jumped, and Toni grinned. He could tell that his friend had automatically thought of the girls, just as he had. The blond shushed him and ushered him into their cabin. Checking the bedroom, the captains found their little warriors fast asleep.

"They sure put up a good fight," Toni whispered. "If it weren't for their blatant insubordination, they could sign up permanently, Artie!"

"You're forgetting their position," Arthur hissed. "We're the bad guys, remember? They're only here until we find a way to take them home."

"Holly likes us plenty!"

"And Anya? You've seen the way she watches us; it's like she thinks we're going to eat her sister or something. Holly would never go anywhere without her. Who are we to try to split them up?" He closed the door softly and sighed.

"What aren't you saying, Artie?" Antonio snickered.

"N-Nothing!"

"Then let's check on _them_."

"The maps are fine, Toni. I hid them where nobody would have a chance of finding them." Reaching into his desk, Arthur pulled out a small brass key from the hollow paneling. He carefully peeled a map off of the wall, revealing a hidden safe lodged in the boards. He swiftly unlocked it and let Antonio peer into the darkened crevice. "See, you git? They're fine. Or do you want to see them?"

"No," Antonio grinned. "I believe you, compadre. Now, let's go top side and have some fun, si? Las chicas can rest until dinner."

"Aye, I suppose you're right." Arthur gently closed the vault and replaced the large map cover. He hid the key securely in the drawer. As the captains made their way up into the sunlight, a pair of curious amethyst eyes glinted softly and the bedroom door clicked closed once more.

* * *

><p>"Anya, I really don't want to go to dinner." Holly laid lazily across the mattress, the blanket askew from where she had tossed about in her sleep. She stared at the ceiling as her sister's voice floated across the cabin.<p>

"Why not? I figured you would probably be starving by now." The brunette closed the door silently and joined her sister on the bed.

"I dunno. Sea-sickness or something, I guess."

The older twin was able to eventually convince the girl to go, going as far as threatening her with "If you don't go, I'm leaving you here and you'll have to stay in here alone." They sat there in silence, Holly kicking her legs back and forth, before she finally broke the silence. "Anya, can I talk to you about-?" She was cut off abruptly by the door swinging open and Arthur's smiling face greeting them.

"Are you two ready for dinner yet?" The twins nodded and stood up. As the two walked out, Holly leaned over and whispered in Anya's ear.

"I'll just tell you later, okay?" Anya raised her eyebrows, but nodded and moved on. When the two walked into the mess hall (it wasn't large, but it was well sized), the look was...different, to say the least.

The tables were evenly aligned (an alien sight compared to the usual chaos) and there was food spread across many silver platters (it was a special occasion, after all). The crew was chatting excitedly, eating, and just having a good time. The pirate's raucous voices echoed loudly throughout the small area. Toni joined the three of them as they walked in; the small group was escorted to a smaller table off to the side. This table, apparently, was reserved for the two captains, the twins, Smith, and Javier.

"What do the two of you want to drink? We have water, some juice…wine…" The Spanish man laughed as he picked up the bottles they had set for their table specifically. While he was doing this, Arthur was setting a silver chalice out for the each of them. Toni poured himself some wine and juice. (It sounded weird, but he said it was good). Arthur drank juice, and Anya, Javier, and Smith opted for water.

"Holly?" Anya poked her.

"Oh! Uhm…uhhhh…I'll have wine!" She laughed and Anya simply face-palmed. Holly had gotten accustomed to the taste of the alcoholic beverage, and was actually quite good at holding her alcohol. That didn't mean that Anya approved of it.

The food that night was ten times better than the food they had been eating since they embarked on their journey. There was roasted chicken that was coated with spice, some yeast rolls (fresh bread was a delicacy that they rarely got while sailing), some tomato soup (the tomatoes were imported from Toni's hometown), and various fruits and vegetables scattered about in a bowl. The twins ate slowly; they hadn't gotten to indulge and eat this much since the night before being dragged off.

Steam rose to the ceiling as Anya took a bite out of a piping hot roll, and Holly took a small sip of her wine. The only reason she drank it was to avoid drinking water (She couldn't stand to drink plain water). The twins talked with the table, enthusiastically at times, and at others, were simply quiet and listened. They learned a lot that night about the pirates. Most of them had lost their families one way or the other, and they treated each other as brothers. It was like one big family dinner, something the twins hadn't been able to even contemplate before.

"May I have your attention please? Will everyone please stand?" Toni rose out of his seat, the chair scraping across the floor. The twins stayed in their seats, not having a clue as to what was going on. "I would like to propose a toast." Antonio slowly walked around the other tables, holding his glass high in the air. "First, to our glorious victory!" The crew cheered and clinked their glasses together. "And second, to the lovely young ladies who are traveling with us. Don't be fooled, hermanos; these beauties fought as bravely as any man today. To Anya and Holly!" Antonio cheered.

"Anya and Holly!" the crew echoed again and clinked their glasses once more, knocking back whatever they had. The night passed in a blur of singing and wonderful food. When a slightly drunken Holly asked why the food wasn't always this delicious, the entire assembly cracked up laughing.

"It's all Artie's fault," Toni chortled as he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "He insists we use his bland recipes! I got my say tonight, though; I didn't want you or your sister to have food poisoning before tasting my cooking!"

Anya was grudgingly impressed. "You made all of this food, Antonio?"

"Not on my own," he admitted. "Of course the usual galley cooks helped, but they used my old granddad's recipes under my direction."

"My food is not bland, you bloody wa-!"

"Ah ah," Toni chided. He draped an arm around each of the twins. "Why, captain! Such language in the presence of ladies!" The crew lost it once again as Arthur turned red and held his tongue. Holly giggled sympathetically and planted a kiss on his cheek, drawing whoops of encouragement from the gathered men. Anya glared them all down and politely excused herself and her intoxicated sister from the festivities.

* * *

><p>Holly lay down and sighed into her pillow. The elder sister watched her and sighed, eventually turning around to look for a book to read. Surely pirates this well-educated would have <em>some<em> type of literature, right?

"Sis?" The high pitched voice questioned her from across the cabin.

"Yes, Holly? I'm kind of busy at the moment."

The younger twin stood and clicked the heels of her boots together, crossing her arms and giving her an irritated look. "No, really, Anya. It's important. It's nothing stupid." Her sister said quietly, looking away. Anya instantly knew that tone of voice. First, she only used it when she was pleading or insistent on something urgent. And two, she only referred to her as Anya when she was dead serious. The brunette walked over and sat with her sister on the floor; Antonio had set up a corner for the younger sister to mess around in. There was a rug made of blue plush, along with a few stuffed animals they had gotten here and there. There was a stuffed, pink bunny rabbit that she had taken to quite nicely, along with a purple elephant for Anya. Holly played with the stuffed doll while she waited for Anya to sit down to her side.

"Okay. Is this what you wanted to talk about earlier?" She smiled at her younger sister. "And don't be shy; there isn't anything to hide from me." Holly squirmed a bit uncomfortably in her spot, fidgeting with the rabbit. Anya gave an annoyed sound and picked it up gently from her. "You won't get him back until you tell me. You wanted to talk, so talk, silly."

"W-well…I know that this is the one thing you _really_ don't want to hear…" She looked away again. Anya gently grabbed her shoulder and faced her so they were vis-à-vis, eye to eye.

"Holly, this is the last time I'll tell you. Get to the point, or I'll go to bed and you can wait to tell me another time." She saw the tiny spark of fear that brightened the other's eyes slightly before she released her.

"Okay, but please don't be mad, okay?" She looked for the other's response.

Anya nodded and motioned for her to move on. "Well? What's the problem?"

Holly watched her closely. "What's the problem? I don't know. Maybe I'm in love?" She blushed darkly and looked away.

Anya blinked a couple of times. "With who?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, thinking hard.

"M-maybe two certain captains named Arthur and Antonio…" Holly rushed the last words into one long slur.

"Holly, have you lost your mind?" The older sister instantly freaked out. "These men are pirates! They're the same type who _killed mom and dad. _What could you possibly see in them?" She screamed almost at the top of her lungs.

The other twin looked away quietly, almost about to cry. "But Anya, they've been so kind to us. I don't think they're like other pirates. They're just as nice as Francis! Anya, Toni and Artie love us. They'll protect us. I- I don't think I want to go home anymore." She glanced back up at her again, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Get this through your thick skull, Holly: They don't love us. We're _hostages_, no matter how kindly they treat us. And not all pirates are like your precious Francis! For all we know, even _he_ could have been faking! And that talking of us that Antonio spoke of? He could have been planning to come back and kidnap us! You can't trust these people so easily, Holly!" She grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly as she said all of this.

"Anya…you can't just help who you fall in love with…and I love them both."

Anya's frustration and anger bubbled up further at this. "You can't just fall in love with someone, or two people, after only knowing them for two weeks!"

"Well I'm freaking sorry Anya! Why are you screaming at me?" Anya couldn't take it anymore. She stood up stiffly and walked out of the cabin, her boots clicking their exit as the cabin door slammed. Holly sat there and pulled her knees up to her chest, trying to abstain from crying. She blinked the tears away, but the tightness in her throat and the heat in her cheeks wouldn't go away. She swallowed, attempting to try to make the tightness disappear. She was able to eventually get it down and sighed quietly, the shakiness in her voice still prominent.

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><p>"Anya," Antonio called out jovially. "Are you alright? You and Holly left so suddenly-!"<p>

"Don't talk to me," Anya snapped. "And don't go anywhere near my little sister, or I will personally turn this ship around and hand you over to the imperial navy of Japan!" She ran along the corridor that led to the galley, but changed course at the last second. She stomped out onto the main deck, dodging the merry-making of the pirate crew. Those cads; stealing her little sister's heart! Anya was shaking with unimaginable fury. She needed to cool off before she ended up making good on her threat to the captains. Shoot... she and Holly hadn't fought like this since they were little kids! Now, when they needed each other the most, they were drifting apart.

"Stupid, arrogant, beguiling pirates," Anya growled. The crew didn't even pay her any notice; they were too busy or too drunk. Even if they had noticed her, they had become more than used to the older twin's grumblings. Not that that was anything new, she supposed. She was the quiet one, the independent older sister. While everyone adored Holly, with her optimism and cheerful attitude, Anya was just the overprotective word slinger who read too many novels and lost her temper all the time.

Anya finally halted her rampage at the top deck rail. It was a perfectly clear night, and the stars were simply _inviting _Anya to confide in them. "I guess it makes sense that she would fit in here better than I do," she whispered. "Holly's the people person; I get standoffish with my own teachers! It's so weird; we're completely identical, but our personalities are polar opposites. And she's being such an idiot! Next thing you know, she'll be drunk enough to..." Anya trailed off, staring at the stars' reflections in the placid seawater. "That's it," she realized. "She wasn't in her right mind! That stupid wine is what did it. She'll be back to normal in the morning!"

Feeling much better, Anya was ready to head back inside. But then something caught her eye. There was something very wrong with the picture in front of her. Just beyond the glow of the lanterns, Anya could make out a darkened blob floating in the ocean. It was right up against the hull of the _Hetalia_, and it was far too big to be just a clump of seaweed. Anya filled with anticipation; this could be their chance! If this was a dinghy from another ship, there could be some rational, non-piratical human beings nearby. Just as she was deciding whether or not to go apologize to Holly and investigate further, a loud thump made her whirl around. A crewman had been knocked unconscious. The attacker was dressed entirely in black; in fact, Anya could see several black shrouded strangers stalking the deck.

Suddenly regretting breaking the captains' number one rule, she raised a cry on instinct, but it was cut off as a gloved hand clamped down hard on her jaw. Fighting against her assailant, Anya was only able to see a pair of intense dark eyes before something jabbed at a pulse point in her neck. The deck swerved beneath her feet, and she collapsed into the dark embrace of the stranger's arms.

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><p><strong>Okay, so this one was a little short. Don't blame me (Maya), Christina wanted to cut off here. And I had such a nice continuation... Well, she's just sadistic like that. We will be updating a chapter a week without fail, every Monday night. So see you here next week, and please read and review~<strong>

**~Reviews are like chicken legs to starving beggars~ Richard Brown**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! Christina here to update you guys with our third chapter of When I Find You! We're so happy and excited with all of the positive feedback we have gotten! We're so happy with it all, and we are glad to know you guys are enjoying it! The nex chapter will be out next Monday as promised, and we're in the middle of chapter (I think it might be) almost somewhere between seven and ten! So stay tuned! Stay cool and in school too, that's important too. ;)**

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><p>"Smith?"<p>

"Aye."

"Jameson?"

"Here."

"Valdez?"

"Si."

"Alright," Javier sighed. He jiggled the ropes that bound him to his unconscious partner. "There are a dozen of us; six pairs. Can any of you see who I'm tied to?"

The other pirates squinted through the gloom of the dark cell in the general direction of Javier's voice. They had all gone through the same experience; they had been partying on the ship, blacked out, and woke up in this strange holding cell. The only thing they conclude from their surroundings was that they were still at sea. The rocking motions were hard to deal with when they were bound on the floor. They were bound and trussed in pairs, and a quick roll call had identified all of them but one.

"Blast it all! Javier, it's one of the girls!" The rest of the men murmured their agreement. Even through the gloom, it was impossible to miss the twin's long hair and smaller frame.

"Is it Holly?" Smith called. "Or Anya?"

Javier shrugged and tried to shake the girl awake again, drawing out a groan of discomfort. "Piratas bastardas..." she muttered.

"That's Anya." The crew decided unanimously.

A door at the end of the cell opened abruptly, and light streamed thought the opening. A single silhouette stood outlined in the doorway. He entered the room with a long katana in one hand and a lantern on the other. The crew bit back gasps as they saw the new arrival's face. The figure was male, with cropped black hair framing his pale face. He was wearing a white naval uniform. And his features were decidedly Japanese.

"Attention, those of you who have awoken," the young man announced in clipped, precise English. "You have nothing to fear from us if you comply with the instructions I shall give you. Any attempt of escape or violence will be handled immediately and without mercy. Captains Kirkland and Carriedo of the _Hetalia_ will no doubt return for you soon, in any case. You will be untied, but confined to the hold until your captains surrender to the naval captains. You are prisoners here, but you will not be treated unkindly as long as you behave. I assume you have no problems with this arrangement. Good day."

As the officer began to leave, Javier called out. "Hold it, compadre! I don't have a problem with it; none of us do. It's part of the pirate life! But this girl isn't one of us. Our captains will skin us alive if she is mistreated or hurt in any way."

The boy paused in the doorway. "A... girl? Why was she on your ship, if she isn't one of your crew?" He held his lantern higher, and Javier scrunched down so that Anya was visible.

"Anya and her sister helped us out of a situation, but ended up having to stay as guests on our ship. The captains adore these girls, and so do we." The officer's stern face did not soften. He slowly walked over to Javier and lowered his katana.

"If you move, I will be forced to use this in an unfriendly manner," he warned. He sliced cleanly through the ropes tying the two together. Javier sat there, statuesque, as the Japanese man laid his lantern on the floor and lifted Anya to her feet. Her eyes finally flickered open, and the boy's breath caught at the utterly terrified look in her eyes.

"Can you stand?" he asked gently. Anya blinked, and then suddenly slammed the young man against the wall.

"Where is Holly?" she demanded. "Who are you and what did you do with my sister?"

"My name is Kiku," the boy replied calmly. "I do not know anything about your sister named Holly."

"Give me one good reason why I should believe that," Anya growled. Her arm crossed Kiku's windpipe and was about to force an answer from him, but cold steel teased the back of her neck.

Kiku smirked. "Is that a good enough reason? Now please, release me. I do not wish to hurt you or your crewmates."

"They aren't my crewmates," Anya muttered. She reluctantly released the boy and allowed him to pin both of her arms behind her back. Keeping his katana close to Anya's throat, Kiku backed slowly out of the room.

"You, the man I untied; after we leave, you may free your friends. I will be locking the door behind us, so keep this in mind: if there is any trouble from any of you, she will be the one to answer for it." Javier gave Anya a helpless look, and she nodded slightly to know she understood the situation. The captured pirates were all protecting her. Her rush of affection toward the _Hetalia_ crew was cut short as Kiku escorted her out.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Kiku shocked Anya by instantly releasing her and bowing his head in apology. "I am terribly sorry about that," he whispered frantically. His whole demeanor had changed completely. The coldness in his eyes was gone, replaced by a guarded curiosity. And he was much calmer- he even turned his back on her, an enemy, to lock the pirates in.

"Please," Kiku begged. "I don't want to fight with you. I didn't realize that you weren't a member of the crew. Of course, now we can't just keep you locked in there with the rest-" He continued to nervously ramble like that while Anya just stood there, mouth agape. She finally got over the sudden mood swing and listened to her instincts. They were telling her to run. The second she took one step, however, the blade of Kiku's sword was there, blocking her way.

"What do you want with us?" she squeaked, mentally cursing herself for showing fear so easily. But the only thing her eyes could focus on was the steady tip of that blade.

"Captains Kirkland and Carriedo have stolen much from the southern ports of my country. The entire naval force of Japan has been deployed to capture them and retrieve the stolen goods." Kiku shook his head slowly as he sheathed his katana. "Surely, you know this already."

"... They said the navy was chasing them," Anya recalled. "They didn't go into that much detail about it; just enough to convince my sister and I that we couldn't turn around and go home."

"I see," Kiku said, clearly not understanding at all. "In that case, would you like to accompany me in my report to the admiral? We may be able to work something out to help all of us."

"So you really don't know where Holly is?" Anya persisted. "I'm sure if you ask around you'll find the person who kidnapped her. She looks exactly like me! We're twins, you see, and-"

"I'm sorry," Kiku insisted. "You and those men were the only ones captured. We can only handle so many prisoners of war, after all. We simply went for the pirates who were either extremely intoxicated or particularly well dressed, as you are."

"My... My sister is still on the _Hetalia_?" Anya whispered. "She isn't here?"

Kiku shook his head sadly. "If you wish, I could ask the admiral to have a squadron sent out to retrieve her, as well."

"A squa-? Just who are you, anyway?"

"Of course, how rude of me." Kiku straightened his spine and clicked his heels together, giving her a light bow. "I am Kiku Honda, captain of the main vessel of the imperial navy of Japan. If it weren't for the circumstances under which we have met, I would say that it is a pleasure meeting you."

Anya's eyes narrowed. "So it's your fault that the _Hetalia_ couldn't turn back," she accused. "If you hadn't been chasing them, they could have let us go!"

"Let you go?" Kiku repeated. "The man you were tied to said that you were a guest of the captains."

"Of course he said that," she grumbled. "Well, it's partly true. But did he happen to mention that his precious captains held Holly and me hostage?"

"...No."

"Typical. They were going to send us back home in a lifeboat, but a storm blew us halfway to India, apparently. Ant- Captain Carriedo said it would take two weeks to sail back against the current, and that was bad enough. But you and your navy just _had _to be pursuing them, so the _Hetalia _simply couldn't afford to lose the time she had gained."

"So the pirates kept you as prisoners?" Kiku guessed worriedly.

"Actually, no," Anya admitted. "What Javier told you was true. Toni and Artie really were very sorry and upset about the whole thing, and treated us well. They even loaned us some of their old clothes, since all we had was our school uniforms."

Kiku quirked an eyebrow. "The captains of the strongest pirate ship in the known world allow you to address them with nick-names?"

"Th-They asked that Holly and I call them that," Anya blushed. "As soon as we were on board! I didn't at first, but Holly kept going on and on about 'Toni this' and 'Artie that'. It sort of... grew on me, I guess."

"Alright, alright!" he pacified. "I believe you. The person you'll have to convince is my commanding officer, if you want him to believe you're not a pirate. Your story is quite far-fetched, you know."

"If it's so far-fetched, why do you believe me?" she shot back. The hot-tempered twin faltered when Kiku's eyes met hers fully for the first time.

"It's the look in your eyes when you talk about your sister," he stated simply. "A person can put false devotion into their words, but not in their eyes."

"O-Oh..."

"Anya, do you accept my invitation as a captain to join me as I report your situation to the admiral? I'm sure he will hear you out and find a way to reunite you with your sister."

"Yes," Anya answered immediately. "I want your admiral to know straight off that I am not a pirate, and that I will find my sister again if it kills me." Kiku smiled lightly and gallantly offered his arm, like a true gentleman. Nearly drowning in deja vu, (and secretly a bit charmed by the formality of the gesture), Anya laced her arm through the crook of Kiku's elbow and allowed him to lead her to the bridge. Loud voices could be heard arguing inside; the admiral and the rest of the naval captains were in a large-scale debate. Kiku put a finger to his lips and entered first. Anya lingered beyond the doorway, just barely peeking in as the officers argued.

"I'm telling you, he won't give it up!"

"Pirates are always loyal to their own-!"

"But where _are _they-?"

"One week, I say! One-"

"Ahem," Kiku coughed. The chatter ceased at once as heads turned and seven captains leaped to their feet. At the end of the long conference table, an older man remained seated. He had the air of wisdom and experience, with a lined face and graying hair. He gestured for the other captains to sit before addressing Kiku.

"Captain Honda," he acknowledged. "The status of the prisoners, if you please."

"Hai, admiral! The pirates have all regained consciousness. I informed them of their situation and left one man unbound, so they will all be free by now. I locked the door securely, of course." He produced the heavy brass key out of his pocket and tossed it to the admiral, who caught it with reflexes unimaginable for his age.

"Very good, captain." The admiral pocketed the key. "But you freed them on your own? You have exemplary skill with the sword, Honda, but you aren't stupid. How did you ensure that the pirates would not attack you?" Before Kiku could answer, one of the captains gave a shout. A millisecond later, a silver knife was humming in the wall, a mere hair's breadth from Anya's ear. She screamed and nearly tackled Kiku in fright. A bad move, it turned out. Before the echoes of her scream had faded, the girl had three swords trained on her; one at her neck, one over her heart, and one barely touching the tip of her nose.

"Enough!" Kiku barked. Anya clutched at his shoulder as she watched his commanding persona take over once more. "This girl is not an enemy. She is a victim of Arthur Kirkland, just as we all are. I brought her here to confer with the admiral, not to be assaulted! Sheathe your weapons!" The captains were gone as abruptly as they had arrived. Anya was suddenly standing alone under the collective gaze of eight strange pairs of eyes. Kiku took a _large_ step to the side, struggling to support his expressionless attitude.

"Admiral, this is Anya. She and her sister were kidnapped from the coast village where the _Hetalia _attempted to go ashore for supplies. She wishes to ask something of you." Kiku sat down with the rest of the captains, shooting his new friend an encouraging look. Anya tried not to fidget as she waited respectfully for the admiral to give her permission to speak. Finally, the admiral broke the awkward silence.

"Young lady, there are some things you must understand right now. We are busy men working on a sensitive operation, and have no time for games. I do not want to hear anything that is not both relevant and truthful. Is that clear?"

"Er... Uh... Hai?" she blushed at the suppressed snickers that her attempt received. Anya knew maybe six words in Japanese, two of which were wasabi and sushi. At least she had remembered the correct word for 'yes, sir' instead of her favorite, baka (idiot).

"Very well," the admiral approved, swallowing a deep chuckle. "Proceed."

"Thank you, sir," Anya nodded her head. "Ki- I mean, Captain Honda has informed me that the men in the hold and I were the only ones taken from the _Hetalia_. My sister is still on that ship, sir. I would like to respectfully request that I rejoin her as soon as possible." She watched the admiral's face carefully, but he gave nothing away. The other men were equally guarded.

"I do not understand," the admiral said at last. "Do you wish to return to the _Hetalia _and remain a hostage?"

"My wish, admiral, is to be with my sister." The captains grumbled over her statement until one spoke up.

"Permission to speak, admiral?" one of the officers broke in. Anya recognized him as the knife thrower.

"Granted."

"Correct me if I am mistaken, but I have a feeling that Miss Anya may hold the absolution of our debate." The captain locked his eyes on Anya's, and she had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from gasping. That misty gaze had been the last thing she had seen before blacking out on the deck last night. She was sure of it.

"Anya?" Kiku persisted. "Can you answer Captain Souma's question?" The girl jumped, finally breaking eye contact with the ebony-eyed man. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't hear the question. Captain Souma, were you... by any chance...?"

"Yes," the captain leered, amused. "I apologize for the rough treatment, but the mission left little room for error, and you had already seen me, anyhow. Imagine my surprise when the lovely young lady in pirate garb suddenly appeared, when she was supposed to be in confinement with the other prisoners." He expertly spun a knife in his hand, making hypnotic patterns in the air. "But on the subject of our dilemma, what is your opinion of the relationship between the commanders of the _Hetalia _and their crew?"

"They're family," Anya supplied instantly. "Each man aboard that ship is a brother to all of the others."

"Even the captains?" Souma pressed.

"Especially the captains!" came her shockingly defensive reply. Anya herself was confounded by the truth in her words, and in the sense of pride she had developed for the _Hetalia_'s crew. "Captain Kirkland refused to turn around and take my sister and me home because it would result in a confrontation with your navy. Neither of the captains would ever put his men in unnecessary danger." Her speech was followed by an uproar of _You see?_'s and _I told you_'s, which were silenced with a wave of the admiral's hand. He stood, and the other officers scrambled to follow suit.

"Thank you, Miss Anya," he said sincerely. "You've been an invaluable help to our cause." The admiral turned away, dismissing the meeting. All of the captains went about congratulating one another and looking quite pleased with themselves.

"Wait... What?" Anya protested, bewildered. "How was any of that relevant to getting Holly back?"

Kiku grinned and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Anya. You'll see your sister again before the week is out! You've just given us the assurance that our plan will work."

"And just what is that supposed to mean? Kiku, don't talk in riddles!"

"What _Captain Honda_ means," Captain Souma corrected, sneering. "Is that the men we have captured will be more than enough to get Arthur Kirkland where he belongs; in irons!"

* * *

><p>"Please, Holly. We'll get her back." The two captains continuously attempted to calm the sobbing child. She took a shaky breath before sitting up, the light making her migraine worse. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying (it had been about six hours now), and her face was stained with dried tears.<p>

"Bella, the best thing for you right now is to sleep," Antonio attempted to soothe her.

"I can't sleep...I don't want to...I miss Anya..." Another tear fell down her cheek, and she tried vainly to restrain the tears.

"You'll never be able to do anything in your current state," Arthur remarked, "You have to get some sleep." He finished the last word on a note of annoyance within his voice.

She looked away before stating, "We were fighting when she went outside...I didn't even tell her 'I love you' or 'I'm sorry'..." She choked back another sob in her sentence, and gasped when the Brit pulled her into a tight hug. He made sure not to crush her; she was fragile right now, after all.

"So that's why your hermana was so upset and angry last night..." Holly nodded quietly at Toni's words. "Je suis desole, ma bonbon, je desire aider toi..." The Spaniard tried using some of the French that Francis had taught him so long ago.

"I-I'll be fine Toni...There's no real way to help me right now..." she trailed off quietly.

"Well, get some sleep. We'll wake you up for dinner." The young girl agreed and finally lay down. The two captains stayed in her room until they were assured she was fast asleep. Antonio kissed her forehead softly, and Arthur breathed a whisper of "sleep well" before following his friend out. Holly could wait until she was rested for them to fill her in on just how dire Anya's situation was...

* * *

><p>"Kiku, what's going to happen now?" Anya questioned. They were resting in the captain's cabin, admiring the clear ocean water from a wide window. The other officers had returned to their ships already, but the admiral was somewhere on the main ship as well. From the position of the sun, Anya guessed that it was maybe around four in the afternoon; well past noon, but not quite evening.<p>

"It's hard to explain," he dodged. "Arthur Kirkland is basically the most wanted man in the whole country, so most of the information regarding this operation is supposed to be kept a secret."

"Who would I tell?" Anya reasoned. "I'm stuck here until your boss decides to throw me in the brig or send me back to the _Hetalia _with Javier and the rest."

"He isn't going to throw you in the brig!"

"Ki-kuuu," she whined. "How can you just sit there and not tell me anything? Am I not going to be able to go back to Holly? I thought you were my friend!" She swallowed against the growing lump in her throat. "I have to know, Kiku. I need you to tell me what you're going to do to, and how I can keep Holly from getting mixed up in it!"

Kiku cursed his own weakening resolve. But the girl before him looked so _desperate…_ He had to do something, at least, to alleviate her anxiety. "Yes, yes," he shushed, walking over to the door to his state room and sliding the bolt home. "But you can't let on that you know any of this information. It is highly sensitive."

"Arigato gozaimas, Kiku!" Anya tackle hugged him, earning a single squeak of protest before the Japanese man hugged her back awkwardly.

"Y-You're welcome," Kiku stuttered, flustered. He sat down on the edge of his bed, and Anya readily joined him. "Captain Kirkland didn't steal from easy targets; churches, orphanages, and other such places. The _Reina Marie _always went after much more difficult prizes."

"The _Reina Marie?_" Anya repeated in confusion. "What ship is that? Arthur is the captain of the _Hetalia_."

"That isn't exactly true," Kiku admitted. Having the girl's undivided attention was making him nervous, so he distracted himself by tracing the cherry blossom print on his comforter. "Antonio Carriedo is the only captain of that ship. Kirkland and his crew are only borrowing their services as a favor. The _Reina Marie _was his true ship."

"Well, what happened to it?"

"_Her_," Kiku corrected. "We sent _her _to the bottom of the sea." He said it so calmly that Anya wasn't sure she had heard right. Before she could open her mouth, Kiku asked that she not interrupt him again, lest they run out of time. His guard shift would be starting soon.

"We put up with Captain Kirkland for some time, because he was actually doing the government a favor. They would steal from rich nobles and give the money to people who really needed it."

"Like Robin Hood," Anya couldn't help but put in.

"Robin Who?"

"Never mind; it's a western thing. Please, keep going."

"Of course. Captain Kirkland never took much of the spoils for himself; he is quite an unusually magnanimous corsair. He would save a small portion from each raid for himself and his crew, as is pirate tradition. Under law, the government isn't allowed to do that. I actually found myself looking up to him for quite some time before I became a captain. But then he stole something that we just couldn't ignore."

"What was it?" The violet eyes trained on him were no longer disconcerting. Kiku had Anya captivated by the story, and the captain started loosening up, getting into his tale.

"We call it the Earth's Heart," he whispered dramatically. "It is a jewel unparalleled in both beauty and value. It is an uncut, heart shaped emerald."

"How big is it?" Anya demanded. A jewel? That was the only thing standing between Anya, Holly, and home? She jumped as Kiku delicately took her hand in his. With his index finger he traced a heart shape that covered most of her palm.

"Wow," she breathed. She withdrew her hand slowly, still tingling from Kiku's touch. "Arthur stole something like _that?_ A gem like that would set anyone for life!"

"And that's what is puzzling us the most," Kiku sighed. "He hasn't sold it, hasn't traded anything. It's like he doesn't even have it."

"Well, _does_ he have it?"

"Excuse me?" The possibility hadn't even crossed his mind. "Of course he does! There was evidence found where the Heart was stolen. It was liberated from the personal collection of one of the oldest families in Japan."

"What kind of evidence?" Anya pressed. She was still wondering why she was being so defensive on Arthur's behalf, but nothing Kiku had said was adding up.

"That, I'm afraid, really is classified," Kiku shrugged in apology. He seemed to deliberate over something for a moment, and then asked, "You didn't happen to see anything strange on the _Hetalia, _did you? Maybe somewhere that he could have hidden it?"

Immediately, her thoughts were drawn to that secret safe in the wall. But it had held only maps, not jewels. _But what if one of them was a map to the gem? _But since she had no basis for this theory, Anya kept her mouth shut and shook her head 'no'.

"It's just as well," Kiku reassured her. "Kirkland will be in our custody within a few days, and you will be reunited with your sister. The government will take responsibility for the Earth's Heart, and things will finally be normal again. You know that we've been chasing that ship for nearly three months now?"

"Normal? I'm relieved." Anya's voice had dropped, taking on the cold tone she usually reserved for bullies, naughty children, and Toni and Arthur. "I was beginning to wonder if kidnapping was an everyday practice for a naval captain."

"What? It isn't! I mean, we don't…" Kiku trailed off, shocked by Anya's sudden mood swing. "They're pirates, Anya."

"Yes, and I was under the impression that only _pirates _held hostages for ransom!"

"I- I can't believe you're comparing _us _to-!"

A sharp rap on the door cut their quarreling short. "Captain Honda," a cadet reported. "It is time for Captain Souma's shift to end. Are you ready to take over?"

"Yes. I'll only be a moment." The cadet's footsteps faded as Kiku turned to Anya. "Look, I know this must be a tough time for you. If you want, you can rest here until my shift is over. I'll be back before dinner. Unless you'd like to join me…?" He left the statement hanging, a not-so-subtle attempt at patching things up between them.

It was an admirable attempt, to say the least, but Anya was too confused over the stolen gem and too worried about Holly to do more than send the captain a strained grin. "Thanks, but no thanks. I… I guess I'll see you later, Captain Honda." She bowed lightly and stood away from the door, staring at the ground and waiting for him to leave.

"Anya," Kiku said firmly. "I don't want you calling me that."

"Why?" she asked dryly. "I thought all men wanted to be reminded of how important they are. Isn't that right?"

"Not from friends," Kiku said sincerely. "And I very much want you to be my friend, Anya." He was halfway out the door before a small hand grasped his tightly. Anya wouldn't make eye contact with him.

"I'm going to go back with them," she whispered. "You realize that, right? We probably won't see each other at all after you get what you want." A single shimmering tear fell from her cheek, splattering Kiku's shoe. He didn't take notice.

"Then we will have to make sure to have as much fun as we can while you are here," he laughed. He gave her hand a light squeeze. "I know; the officers are having a celebration dinner to commemorate the approach of our return home. Would you like to come?" Kiku was feeling excited now, and the feeling was heightened when she sucked in a breath of surprise and nodded eagerly. Kiku blushed for some reason at the zealous gleam in her eyes. He cleared his throat and finally released her hand. "I really have to go now, but I'll come back soon. You should rest while you can; it will be strenuous for a few days while we wait." A second later, he was gone.

* * *

><p><em>She knows where it is,<em> Kiku despaired. He was standing at the prow of his ship, trying to catch his breath. _I could see it in her eyes; she wasn't telling me everything she knew._

Kiku Honda, of all people, understood the urge to refrain from speaking in a strange mood. But he had been hoping that Anya would be honest with him. Now he would have to put the admiral's orders into motion.

"_Captain Honda?" the admiral called benignly. "If you would stay a moment, I would like to have a word with you."_

"_Hai, admiral." Kiku waited until all of the other officers had exited the bridge. Anya, however, was lingering in the doorway, uncertain of what to do next. She looked to Kiku with pleading violet eyes._

"_Go on," he smiled. "After I'm_ _through_,_ I can show you around. Just wait for me in the hall, okay?" The girl nodded and practically skipped through the door, closing it gently on her way. Kiku chuckled lightly, but the laughter died in his throat as he turned his attention to his stone-faced commanding officer._

"_Honda, what do you think of her?" the admiral asked in a low voice. "Can she be trusted?"_

"_Sir, I haven't really had time to-"_

"_I'll get to the point, captain. That girl doesn't seem to trust me or the other captains. That's completely understandable. But she likes you. She could be very useful in getting Kirkland to surrender, if only you could persuade her."_

"_What could she do, sir?" Kiku was bewildered. "I admit that she is strong. If I had been unarmed when she woke up, I would be the one tied up in the brig right now. But pure instinct alone does not make a soldier."_

"_I'm not talking about her military tactics, Honda. Repeat to me exactly what the pirates told you concerning the girls' situation with the captains of the Hetalia_."

"'_The captains adore these girls, and so do we,'" Kiku recited flawlessly. "'Our captains will skin us alive if she is hurt.'"_

"_That's our angle," the admiral stressed. "What say Kirkland chooses not to surrender immediately? We could lose at least another month chasing him across the ocean, and this program is not at all cheap." His eyes sparked with a glint that Kiku had never before witnessed. It was sadistic and mean, and Kiku didn't like it at all. "All we have to do is use the girl to force him. If he refuses…" The admiral let the sentence hang, allowing Kiku's overactive imagination to cook up all sorts of awful things._

"_No!" he blurted. "That is not how we do things! Sir, we are not pirates!"_

"_Nor are we men with much more time or money to spare," the admiral said, more calmly._

"_There must be another way, sir."_

"_Perhaps," the older man mused. "If you could somehow convince her to reveal the location of the gem itself… I doubt Kirkland still has it on him. It's probably in some cave or safe house. Whatever the case, I'm putting you in charge of getting her to talk."_

"_How?" Resignation was winning over Kiku's will. He didn't want to hurt his new friend, but if the admiral gave him a direct order…_

"_I told you before, Honda: You aren't stupid. Be nice to her, butter her up a little. I want a location before tomorrow night."_

"_And if that is impossible?" The captain winced at the rebellion in his voice, hoping the admiral wouldn't take offense. This whole ordeal felt wrong, so wrong._

"_Then we go with my original plan," was the subtly threatening reply. Kiku realized that he was dismissed and bowed, exiting to find an anxious Anya waiting for him. She smiled hugely when he emerged, her eyes broadcasting her relief._

"_What did your boss want?" she asked, linking arms with him. "I didn't get you in trouble, did I?"_

_Kiku smiled at her and shook his head. "Of course not. We were just discussing… how wonderful it will be when this is all over."_

Kiku shivered, although the air was warm. He tried not to think about what would happen if he couldn't coerce Anya into revealing the jewel's location. If he simply asked, he had a feeling that the girl would blow up at him furiously, and then the situation would be in the admiral's hands. He also tried to concoct some way to make things up to Anya about their little fight earlier. His watch would be over soon anyway, and he needed to get ready for dinner.

And he struggled uselessly to ignore the fact that the reason he had been so defensive was that he was of the same opinion as her; they were not pirates. This was not how they worked. Kiku silently vowed that he would solve this diplomatically, and not give the admiral a chance to use his backup plan. And who knew? It might not be that much of a chore to get to know this feisty twin a little better.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Next chappie on Monday; cross my heart! R&amp;R and all that jazz.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Yola, readers! Goodness, we are having so much fun with this!~ It's all we ever seem to talk about anymore, and it makes us both _so _happy to get reviews and such. Here's our weekly update, and once again, we don't own Hetalia. Christina and I only own Holly and Anya, respectively.**

* * *

><p>"...-ly...Hol-..." The young teen was still in a half in dreamland, half-awake state, only being able to hear parts of words here and there. She woke up suddenly, and would have jolted up, if it weren't for the fact she couldn't move. She watched the brunette and blond as they stared at her. She was in fear; unable to move but, more importantly, unable to breathe. She could barely move her eyes and blink.<p>

"Holly? Holly? Holly, come on!" Arthur shook her as much as he could without hurting her. She was finally able to move, holding on to Arthur's arm, shaking violently and breathing rapidly and unevenly.

"What the bloody hel- heck just happened?" The Brit corrected himself, holding on to Holly tightly.

"Sl-eep p-paralysis...I get it more than m-most p-p-p-people." Holly stuttered over her words, almost unable to say a word straight out.

"It happens when you wake up while you're asleep. Your body releases chemicals so you don't thrash around in your sleep and hurt yourself. If you wake up during it, you can't move and it feels like you can't breathe, right?" Toni looked to Holly to verify his explanation.

She nodded frantically again. "I've h-had it ever since I-I was little," she stuttered again. It depressed her slightly to know that this was the first and only attack she had gone through without Anya...

Once she was calmer, Antonio picked her up and carefully put her on Arthur's shoulders. He piggybacked her out to the main deck to calm her nerves. It was night now; the stars were staring the three down as they walked towards the dinner hall. Everyone else had obviously eaten and headed to bed.

"Why're we here?" Holly questioned softly from her perch on the shorter captain's shoulders.

"You haven't eaten dinner yet. We decided to wait and eat with you," Arthur explained as he sat her down at the closest table. He set three regular mugs down on the table, each waiting to be filled. Arthur poured Holly some juice to help her hangover headache, some water for himself, and Toni could get himself whatever he wanted.

"Here we are~" Toni emerged from the kitchen, holding a large bowl of potato soup, some apples, and a small cake. Arthur ladled some soup into the bowls he had to the side and handed one to Holly and one to Toni before pouring one for himself.

"How on earth did you manage this?" Holly gaped at the sight before her.

"I pulled a few strings. Benefits of being captain," Antonio winked at her slyly. "And I thought I might save you from food poisoning once agai-"

"SHUT UP YOU BLOODY GIT!"

* * *

><p>"Kiku, I changed my mind. I-I'm going back to your room!" The brunette started to go back the way they had come, but a gentle hand snagged her elbow.<p>

"Now why would you do that?" Kiku asked playfully, steering her in the direction of the dining hall. It was apparently much different from the mess on the _Hetalia_; table cloths and chandeliers in place of seaweed ale and shanties. Anya dragged her feet, attempting to avoid the inevitable. She felt so out of place! She was still dressed in Toni's hand-me-downs, and she hadn't been able to do a single thing to her hair. Walking into the middle of what was practically a war meeting was the last thing she wanted to do! Glaring enviously at Kiku's crisp uniform and gleaming shoes, Anya continued her protests.

"I don't fit in here, Kiku! I'll only be a nuisance. I knew I shouldn't have let you talk me into this!"

"But you did, and we're almost there. Do you want to cause a fuss?"

"..."

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. You navy people just seem to really like kidnapping people," Anya tittered nervously. Kiku became serious almost at once. He pulled her into an out of the way corridor and brought her around to face him.

"If you're scared, you can tell me, Anya. You don't have to make up excuses."

"It's not that!" Anya was blushing, and not only from Kiku's interrogation; they were in quite a cramped hallway. "Okay, maybe Captain Souma gives me the jitters, but that's not why I don't want to come to dinner..."

"Then why?" Kiku puzzled. "Don't you want to have dinner with me?"

"What? Oh, um, of course," Anya stuttered. "It just feels wrong... I haven't even checked on Javier and Smith yet. I feel awful; they did so much to protect me, and this is how I thank them? By frolicking at dinner parties with their captors? The guilt is killing me!"

"It shouldn't be," Kiku said firmly. "I wouldn't have let you go in there if you had asked, anyway. It's too dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Anya's tone was becoming dangerous, itself. "Kiku, those men care about Holly and me."

"They kidnapped you!"

"As did you," she reminded him softly. The captain had no answer to that. "Please," Anya begged. "We can be a little bit late to dinner, can't we? I won't be able to sleep until I know they're alright." Okay, she knew her worrying was irrational. She had seen the admiral pocket the key to the brig with her own eyes. But it seemed that her sisterly worry for Holly had somehow spread to the crew of the _Hetalia_. They were, after all, the only connection she had to where her little sister was at the moment.

Kiku hesitated, and Anya knew she had won. "I suppose... Just a quick rendezvous at the door wouldn't hurt. But we have to hurry, or the admi-" He was cut off as Anya grabbed his hand and ran into the bowels of the ship as if she was being chased by death himself. Kiku led her to the correct door, knocking softly. "Pardon the intrusion, gentlemen, but there is a young lady here who wishes to speak with you." A mad scramble sounded behind the heavy door, followed by voices.

"What are you playing at?" a deep baritone snarled. Anya was shocked to recognize Smith's normally placid tones riled up in fury.

"Smith?" she called anxiously, placing a hand on the door. "What is it? Are you all okay?"

A collective murmur was heard before Javier's voice broke through. "Anya! We're fine. What about you? Did they do anything to hurt you?" Anya shocked herself by drawing comfort from the worry in the Spaniard's voice.

"I'm okay, Javier. Honest." Anya discreetly asked Kiku to give her a minute to talk with the men alone. Kiku grudgingly agreed to go topside for five minutes and then return. As soon as his footsteps faded, Anya turned back to the door in earnest. "Smith, I need you to tell me something. We don't have much time, but this could mean the difference between the lot of you staying in there and getting out."

"You're alone?" Smith called back, confused. "Wasn't that officer with the sword with you? Why did he leave you unguarded?"

"They haven't made me a prisoner," Anya guiltily confessed. "I'm no pirate, after all. Kiku has been a perfect gentleman, considering the first thing I did when I met him was slam him against a wall. I'm sorry I've been away for so long, but this is urgent. Smith, Arthur trusts you. I need you to tell me if he stole a large, heart-shaped emerald before the _Reina Marie_ was destroyed by the navy."

"How did you-?" Smith began. There was a wheezing noise, and Anya could practically see Javier elbowing his friend to get on with it. "Not that I can say," he grunted. "I've never heard of such a gem. What, is that what this whole thing has been about?" Smith's voice was slowly growing angrier. "They destroyed our ship, ran us like dogs, and captured us because they think we took some shiny bauble? This- This is madness!" Before Anya could process his reply, hurried footsteps sounded from the stairs that led to the deck.

"Hush, Smith," Anya warned. "Kiku is coming back. Oh, have you all eaten? They haven't been starving you?"

"They gave us some broth," another voice offered. Anya thought it might be Valdez, the young middy. "We'll manage. When do they plan to let us out?"

"That's the problem," Anya groaned. "They're 'holding us hostage' for a ransom of both the gem and Captain Kirkland!" The captives mumbled again as Kiku finally whipped around a corner, looking concerned.

"I-I heard yelling," he explained. Seemingly satisfied that the pirates were still on the correct side of the door, he asked Anya to come back to the dining hall with him. She shouted some parting words of encouragement to her friends (her friends, she realized) and allowed Kiku to lead her back to the deck.

"He doesn't have it," Anya said nonchalantly. "Smith would have known if he did."

Kiku was silent for a moment. "He could have been lying," he said carefully. Anya stopped walking and shook her head.

"I would have known, Kiku," she insisted. "Smith doesn't lie, and neither does Javier. By the way, you really should feed them something besides plain broth; it's not filling at all."

Kiku tried to smile, but felt his heart start to break._ It doesn't matter if Anya is lying or the pirates are; either way, I won't be able to get a location for the admiral. He'll go through with his plan._ He briefly contemplated telling Anya about the danger she was in. Maybe if she realized how much rode on this... Well, it could wait.

"I'll see about that as soon as dinner is over," he promised. Anya's surprised look was quickly replaced by a grateful smile. "Now, Miss Anya, can we please go to dinner?"

"Oh, I suppose," she teased. Now that she wasn't quite so worried that her friends were being starved and tortured, she realized that she was famished as well. They arrived just in time for the meal to begin, and no one questioned them. Before they could sit at the long table to eat, however, a wizened voice assailed her. Cringing, Anya turned to find the admiral approaching, for once without his usual entourage of officers. Still, Anya found the sense to bow along with Kiku. Hey, it wasn't as if she could curtsy...

"As you were, captain," the admiral dismissed Kiku with a wave of his hand, giving him a warning look. The captain bowed again and meandered off a few yards away. Anya noticed that Kiku looked nervous, but couldn't begin to wonder why.

"Er, hello again, admiral," Anya greeted. She spotted a brown paper package tucked under the older man's arm for the first time. "Excuse me sir, but what have you got there?"

"Oh, this?" The admiral feigned surprise. "I noticed that you're a bit under dressed, my dear..." He held out the package, and Anya automatically took it. "Think of it as a gift."

"Sir," Anya blushed. "No, I couldn't impose like that."

"It isn't me you would be imposing on, so I don't care one way or the other," the admiral shrugged. "Captain Souma asked me to give it to you, as an apology for overreacting in the bridge."

"C-Captain Souma?" she stammered. "Well... It would be rude to refuse his apology, I suppose..."

"Splendid!" the admiral beamed. "Now, run along and get changed, my dear. Dinner will be starting soon." He looked around warily before whispering in her ear. "And please don't give the poor captain a hard time. He was too ashamed to give you his apology himself. He's really very shy around women. I don't see why; he has three younger sisters at home!" He gave her a pat on the shoulder and walked away to stimulate conversation with the other captains.

Anya smiled softly, the idea of the scary captain as a big brother softening her mental image of him. Even the admiral seemed less intimidating when he wasn't working. She didn't want to admit it, but as she ran off to find a place to change, Anya thought that if she and Holly had an uncle or grandfather, she would have liked for him to be exactly like the admiral.

* * *

><p>Holly ate her food quietly and slowly, the migraine starting to gradually fade away. The food was just as good as it had been the other night, unfortunately reminding her of Anya again.<p>

"You okay?" Arthur asked in a serious tone. He was staring at her as she stirred her soup around lazily.

"O-oh yeah…I'm okay…" She blushed and looked away back to her food. Once the trio was done eating, they each cut a slice of the small cake. It was vanilla and had a strawberry ice cream flavored icing. "This is really good…" she said under her breath, popping a piece into her mouth.

"Well, this time you actually can thank Artie for the food. He found the recipe and actually succeeded this time~" Toni playfully teased the Brit.

He blushed with embarrassment but smiled. "Thank you. Francis actually gave me that recipe. By the way Holly, can you come to our office when you're done? We need to discuss the whole…situation with you." The two captains left her to finish quietly.

Knock knock knock. Holly softly tapped on the door with her knuckles. "Come on in, Holly. You don't have to knock, you know." She entered the cabin silently and shut the door almost as mutedly as she had knocked. The Spanish captain motioned for her to sit with them at his desk.

"Holly, I need you to listen." Arthur looked grim, making Holly nervous. "I know what has to be done to get Anya back. It's a ransom. If I turn myself in to the navy for stealing something, then I can get everyone back."

Holly's eyes widened and gleamed at this. "Are you serious?"

"They left a note," Toni confirmed. He pushed a folded sheet of paper across the desk, which Holly barely glanced at. She really didn't want to see anything written by the horrible people who had taken her sister.

"So if you give them back what you stole, they'll bring Anya back?" Holly was overjoyed.

Arthur flinched. "There were some... other conditions, but more or less. But… Holly, I'm sorry. I can't do that." She instantly bubbled down from her excitement and grew almost angry.

"You have to! What did you steal?" She pounded her fist on the desk.

"That's the thing. I did-"

"You said you knew how to get her back…you can't just do that!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Holly looked away, shaking in anger. "God! Maybe Anya was right about you two! Why did I ever trust you?" She stormed angrily out on the main deck, trying to ignore the hot tears on her face.

"-n't take…any...thing…" Arthur finished after the door slammed hard, shaking the entire cabin.

"Oh, Dios mio…" Antonio groaned. "You say there were 'other conditions'? You're such a coward, Arthur."

"She didn't need to know," the British captain snapped. "If I don't even have the jewel, the other stipulation of the ransom is useless."

"She wouldn't have run out so quickly, though."

"Shut up, let's go to sleep."

* * *

><p>"Why...did…I…ever…trust…them?" Holly punctuated every word with a kick to the bed frame. After her rant, she fell down face first onto the mattress, groaning. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, Anya…" she muttered into the pillows. The sound of captain's boots was muted through the wooden door, and she quickly feigned sleep in order to avoid talking to them.<p>

They didn't say a word, not wanting to risk waking up the teen, and immediately went to bed. They talked softly for a while, mostly just voicing their hope that Holly would listen to them in the morning.

_Like that will happen_, she thought. Once Holly was assured they were in dream land, (by their snoring, no less) she got up and slinked out of the room. Maybe some of the alcohol they had would calm her nerves. She carefully picked the lock to the kitchen and went to the alcohol cabinet, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and another of vodka. The teen sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed a shot glass and a wine glass. She drank a couple of shots of vodka first, the strong alcohol placing a comfortable burn in her throat. She washed it down with some whiskey, barely helping to sooth the burn in her throat. After going about this pattern for two hours, she was in a drunken splendor at two in the morning. Not the best combination on a pirate ship.

"Teehee~ I think I'll go get some aspirin~ That'll help my headacheee!~" Holly giggled and stumbled to the medical cabin on the lower section of the ship. She managed to not fall, but still had two left feet. She got the large bottle of the white pills and stared at them, having already forgotten what she was doing. The bottle slipped as Holly tried to set it on a shelf, and there were suddenly pills and glass scattered on the floor.

One of the crew members heard her break the bottle and got up quietly, looking to see what was going on.

"Miss Holly? What are you doing…?" The young crew member mumbled tiredly, gasping at the sight of the teen standing in the sea of glass. "A-ah! Stay still!" The young man swept away a path through the glass with his shoes and picked his way to a giggling, barefoot Holly.

"Come here!" He grabbed her around the waist, preventing her planned escape.

"Nuuu~ Eduard, stoppp! I need those for my headache!" She giggled and smiled up at him. She smelled like whiskey and vodka.

"Come on…I'm taking you to the captains." He picked her up and took her to the top deck, ignoring her drunken protests. "Now stay here. Do. Not. Move." He leaned Holly against the mast and ran down to the captains' cabin. He knocked loudly on the door. "Captain Carriedo! Captain Kirkland!"

"Ed, it's almost three in the morning. What could you possi-?"

"It's Miss Holly, sir. She's drunk," he reported.

"Impossible. Holly is in he-" Arthur replied before looking over and gasping. He practically pushed Antonio out of bed and they raced up onto the deck in their pajamas.

"Ahh! Tonio!" Holly jumped up and giggled, tackling the Spaniard to the ground.

"H-Holly, get off!" He blushed bright red. She sat on his chest, giggling drunkenly.

"But I'm just so happy to see yous!" she pouted. "Ya know, I was thinking about what Anya said, and I think I really do luff ya," she laughed again.

"Holly, you're drunk. Surely you don't mean any of th-" He was cut off again as she kissed his lips softly and pulled back after half a second. "Geez Toni, relax!" She fell over to the side of him and laughed even more.

"H-Holly! Get up this instant!" Kirkland demanded at the young girl. She simply ignored him, as she had already fallen asleep where she was lying next to Toni.

"Ugh…" Antonio got up quietly and picked her up. "She's going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow…probably won't even remember any of this." He took her into the room.

"Thank you, Eduard," Arthur said awkwardly. "You're dismissed. Get some sleep." Arthur smiled and patted his shoulder. The young crew member grimaced and nodded gratefully, going back to his cabin.

"Arthur, should we keep Holly with us so she doesn't try to go anywhere else again…?" He looked at his friend, holding the teen in his arms that was currently sleeping like a baby.

"Probably…here, just put her between us." The brunette obliged and laid her next to him, and in turn, Arthur lay next to her. This way they would know if she tried to leave again. Holly instantly curled up to Arthur's chest, searching for warmth. He blushed brightly and let out a small squeak, and Toni simply chuckled.

"Sleep well, you two," he laughed, and fell asleep quietly. Arthur glared at him, but softened when Holly murmured and grasped at his shirt. He grinned and relaxed with an arm around the girl.

"You too, Toni."

* * *

><p>As soon as Anya was out of earshot, Kiku made a bee line for the admiral. "Sir, what is-?"<p>

"It's all part of the plan, Honda," his superior cut in. "I used the exact same tactic with my granddaughter. Make a girl feel like a princess, and she'll be more than happy to do what you want. Now when she comes back, you have to charm that girl's ear off! I know you can do it, captain."

"But sir, she says they don't have it!" Kiku cried. He lowered his voice and continued. "Admiral, one of the pirates in the hold is apparently one of Kirkland's trusted deputies. Anya swore that this man would not lie, and he claims that his captain has never stolen such a gem."

"Did you expect him to admit it, Captain?"

"Actually, yes." Kiku was getting frustrated. "What good does lying do them now? Those men are terrified for their lives, admiral, and for Anya's. They really believe that they have no way to get out of here through the ransom."

"Then he just didn't tell them about it," the admiral said complacently. "Honda, don't start doubting your values over this girl. And remember, I still have-"

"Your other plan," Kiku finished, not caring if he was breaking rank. "Sir, it is wrong. Everything we thought we knew about this isn't as it seems." He could tell that his admiral had stopped listening. The older man grinned and waved at someone over Kiku's shoulder, prompting Kiku to whirl around, ready to tell whoever it was to respectfully wait one more minute. The prepared rebuttal was snatched roughly from his lips when he recognized the new arrival.

Anya fidgeted as the assembled officers stared at her. She didn't even know if she was wearing this alien outfit correctly. In a village as small as hers, there were few large celebrations, and even those didn't require formal dress. Men wore dress pants and shirts; women wore slacks or skirts. Students usually just wore their uniforms to social events. This strange, robe-like gown was far out of Anya's league. It was cardinal red with gold decals and kanji down the side. A silken sash tied just above her naval, hugging the material to her waist.

"A-Admiral? Kiku?" she whispered, blushing. "Please tell me I'm wearing this right. I couldn't find anyone to ask, so..." She trailed off, gulping.

"The kimono suits you, Miss Anya." Captain Souma emerged suddenly, bowing lightly to the admiral. "I thought you and my middle-little-sister might be the same size. She asked me to bring home something for her, and I accidentally bought two of them in port a few weeks ago."

Anya shook back her initial fear of the captain and smiled weakly. "Th-Thank you for your generosity, Captain Souma." She tried, and failed miserably, to copy his bow to the admiral.

"No, it is nothing," Souma said humbly, causing Kiku to tear his eyes away from Anya and glare suspiciously. Although Captain Souma was his esteemed colleague, he was also a greedy, vain, prideful cretin. He never gave anything from the goodness of his heart, least of all to his little sisters, whom he complained of constantly. "Doesn't Miss Anya look lovely, Captain Honda?" Souma was smiling brightly, if not genuinely. Anyone who hadn't known him long would find it a shy, endearing expression. All Kiku saw was a man with a hidden agenda.

"Hai," he answered numbly. He knew he was blushing, but couldn't bring himself to care. The kimono was a big change from the loose sailing clothes Anya had been wearing before. Kiku realized that she was quite pretty, although Anya herself didn't seem to think so. She would not make eye contact with him or anyone else, preferring to stare at the ground.

"Well, let's not waste any more time," the admiral cried. "I can't be the only person here who is positively starving! I never met a young person who wouldn't eat." The officers (and Anya) all sat at a long table, with the admiral at the head, Captains Honda and Souma on his right and left, and Anya to Kiku's left. Kiku always despised this sort of seating placement; it put him directly across from Souma, the only captain he didn't completely trust.

"Thank you for the food," the men chorused, and dug in. Anya stared blankly at the twin utensils on her plate. Kiku chuckled, and then showed her how to use chop sticks. After a few tries, she succeeded in raising a small clump of white rice to her lips, chewing triumphantly. The guarded personality that Kiku had first witnessed in the hold was now a distant memory. The girl before him, instead of tough and cautious, was curious, intriguing, and rather childlike.

"You are nicer than I thought," Kiku unintentionally voiced his thoughts. Anya blinked, shock blatant in her eyes. She blushed down at her food and mumbled something inaudible. Kiku asked her to repeat it and they made eye contact for the first time since dinner began.

"I said, 'I could the same about you'," she repeated. "And I'm really sorry for causing you so much trouble, Kiku."

"You don't cause me any trouble," he answered automatically, although the knot on the back of his head said otherwise. "Unless you think that providing me with a lovely dinner guest is troublesome." Where had that come from? He wasn't normally this... lecherous. An approving nod from the admiral reminded him; he was supposed to be persuading Anya to tell them where the Earth's Heart was. But Kiku now had a strong feeling that Arthur Kirkland had not stolen the gem. He had put on a good front, but the reason the evidence of the crime was so classified was that there was no evidence. The _Reina Marie_ had simply been the only pirate ship in the area at the time of the theft.

"Um... Uh-huh," Anya nodded. "Well, er, good, I think." They continued to eat in a comfortable silence until everyone was full and sleepy. The admiral announced that he was retiring to bed, and several of the other captains followed his example. As he watched the admiral leave, Kiku saw him mouth the words 'Tomorrow night' and give Anya a pointed glance. Kiku nodded sadly, knowing that his orders were useless; even if Anya knew the location of the gem -which he knew she didn't- she would never betray her friends from the _Hetalia_.

"I'm turning in," Captain Souma yawned, stretching. "See you tomorrow, Kiku. Miss Anya." As he left, however, he tipped Kiku a sly wink, raising his eyebrows. That explained a lot; Souma was aware of the admiral's orders. He had acted kindly to make Anya feel more at home on the ship. With the officers. With Kiku.

"Kiku?" Anya asked sleepily. "Is it time to go to bed?" She frowned, remembering that this wasn't the _Hetalia_. There wasn't a smiling Holly waiting for her in a nice cabin.

"Don't worry," Kiku assured her. He had guessed what she was thinking. "We have some spare cots in the bridge for situations just like this."

"So you do normally kidnap people!" she exclaimed, a wide grin taking the sting out of the accusation.

"We transport civilians from dangerous situations," he amended. "You are not the first to become mixed up in military matters, you know."

"That makes sense..." Anya conceded. She couldn't believe how quickly she had become acclimated to Kiku's world, and how... right it felt. Suddenly, that happiness shattered like so many shards of transparent glass. What was she doing, sitting here and joking with this boy? Why wasn't she doing something productive to find Holly? How could she be so carefree when she was still separated from her little sister?

"What is wrong?" Kiku asked, surprised. Anya's eyes had suddenly darkened, all traces of humor gone from the twin pools of violet.

"Kiku," she sniffed, starting to cry. "I want my sister!" Not knowing what to do, Kiku awkwardly put an arm around her shoulders. "We've never been apart, not for a single day," Anya sobbed. "Mom told me to take care of her! What if she falls into the ocean? Or one of the weirdoes on the crew makes a move on her and I'm not there? Oh God, what if she has a paralysis attack! She got those every night for weeks after mom and dad died, and we were so scared..." She turned into the captain's embrace, unable to stop the incoming rush of irrational fears that beset her from all sides. Kiku automatically tensed, unused to the physical contact, but slowly brought his other arm around to pull Anya into a proper hug.

"Your sister is going to be okay," he promised. "If she is half as strong as you are, she will be just fine."

"How could you possibly say that?" she scoffed. "You don't know what Holly is like... she's so naive, and she trusts people way too easily. I'm all she has, and she's all I have. I don't know if I can get through one more day without her, so what makes you think that my little sister is doing any better?"

"Anya," he sighed, leaning down to look her in the eyes. "Before today, have you ever broken down in tears like this in front of anyone?" She glared weakly at him and shook her head. "Have you ever shown such unbreakable loyalty to a band of pirates?" Another glare and head shake. "And you are worried because you know what your sister is normally like, and you aren't around to protect that innocent side of her. You've been doing that for years, haven't you?"

"Since mom and dad died," she whispered. "And then when we were ten, she just ran into the arms of a stranger... I knew I had to keep her safe."

"Exactly." Kiku pulled a handkerchief from his dress shirt pocket and gently cleaned the tears from Anya's face. "The girl who threw an armed enemy soldier against a wall is you, and the girl whose eyes light up when she learns something new is also you. I'm sure your sister is learning how to take care of herself, just as you are learning how to trust people a little better."

"Thank you Kiku," Anya smiled, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. "I didn't understand half of what you just said, but it sounded very nice. So thank you."

"Were you serious before?" Kiku asked, slowly escorting her from the dining hall. "It really isn't that late; are you sure you want to go to sleep already?"

"Could we stay up on the deck for a while?" she requested sheepishly. "I'd like to see the stars. It feels like I've been indoors for weeks."

"Of course," Kiku smiled. As they made their way to the door that led to the main deck, Anya stopped in her tracks, dragging Kiku to a halt. "Anya?"

"Shh!" she scolded. "I'm listening."

"Listening? To wh-?" She silenced him with a glare before closing her eyes. "Someone is playing music," she whispered excitedly. She opened her eyes and tiptoed to the door, resting her forehead against it. Her face totally relaxed as she focused on the sounds, and she looked more mature and content than Kiku had yet seen her. "Three instruments... some sort of woodwind, I'm not very familiar with those... There's a guitar... Oh, that's a violin!"

"You have good ears," Kiku remarked. "Shall we see who is playing?" Anya nodded eagerly and slowly turned the doorknob, easing the door open silently. The two of them poked their heads into the cool night air to see three young men making beautiful music under the stars. The melody was slow and sweet, singing complex harmonies to the stars. There was indeed a guitar in play, as Anya had predicted. It provided a strong, constantly steady base for the others. The wind instrument that they had heard was, in fact, a flute. With his eyes closed contently, the flutist let his high, airy notes sail high above the low strumming of the guitar. And weaving between the high and low were the rich strains of the violin. As Kiku watched in amusement, Anya allowed her eyelids to flutter closed, swaying slightly to the enchanting eastern melody.

She apparently indulged her ears for too long, however. Anya lost both her grip on the door and her balance, falling forward through the opening with Kiku in tow. The music screeched to a standstill as the red-faced couple untangled themselves from the ground. Anya blinked dizzily; she had whacked her head on the deck boards, but didn't seem to be hurt. Even so, Kiku continuously spouted apology after apology as he helped her to her feet, and she continuously told him that she was fine.

"Wait!" she called out to musicians. They had been trying to escape inconspicuously to their cabins, but flinched and turned to face the music. The oldest was nudged forward by the other two to speak for them. The violinist clicked his heels and saluted Kiku.

"Captain Honda, sir. We do apologize for disturbing you." The other soldiers mirrored the salute and waited for orders from their captain.

"Name and rank," Kiku demanded of them.

"Midshipman Atsushi Dojo, sir."

"Middy Mikihisa Komaki, sir."

"Corporal Hikaru Tezuka. Sir!" None of the soldiers broke from their salutes, although they still held their instruments. Middy Dojo was forced to salute with his violin bow, his other hand taken by the instrument itself. Anya suddenly burst out laughing, earning strange looks from all four men.

"I-I'm sorry," she gasped. "My- My sister Holly salutes me like that whenever I interrupt her practice!" She coughed and forced herself to calm down. "I'm sorry... I just really miss her right now," she said sadly. Kiku hummed for a moment, examining Anya's expression carefully.

"Gentlemen, would you mind playing for a little while longer?" he requested. The musicians nodded, relieved.

"What would you like for us to play, sir?" Hikaru asked.

Kiku smirked lightly, an unusual expression for him to wear. He switched briefly to Japanese. "The Midnight Sun will do, corporal." The men's eyes widened, but they began setting up their instruments accordingly.

"What did you ask them to play?" Anya whispered. She didn't like those looks...

"A favorite of mine," he answered with easy confidence. "It's a dance tune that is very popular in the imperial city; easy to play, nearly impossible to dance. It isn't that hard, really. The leading partner simply guides the other the entire time. I think a philosopher actually created the movements as a trust ritual. All you have to do is follow me."

"D-did you just ask me to dance?" Anya squeaked, horrified.

Kiku raised an eyebrow. "You will, won't you? You seemed to love the music so much. I thought this might cheer you up a bit." He extended his hand expectantly.

"Oh, nooooo," Anya backed away, arms held out in a 'stop' motion. "I've tried dancing. Once. It was one time too many."

"How bad could it have been?"

"Four broken fingers, a dislocated shoulder, a sprained ankle and a nasty concussion," she recited grimly, ticking off the items on her fingers. "That poor boy couldn't walk for weeks."

"Was your partner a Captain of the Imperial Navy of Japan?" Kiku inquired, capturing her hand and pulling her closer. "If I can lead an assault on a pirate vessel, I can survive one dance with you."

The music started with guitar. Hikaru strummed a low, sleepy bass line that drifted through the lines of the staff like a leaf in the breeze. Atsushi joined, slowly drawing his bow across the strings and sending a smooth, haunting chord flying across the dark water.

"This is the prelude," Kiku explained. "Partners bow to each other, like this." They both bent at the waist, not breaking eye contact.

"Kiku, this is a really bad idea," Anya hissed. "I can't do eastern dancing!"

"Can you do a simple box step?" he coaxed.

"I wasn't that hopeless..."

"Then just keep doing that," Kiku ordered. "I will do the rest." When Mikihisa added the flute to the melody, several things happened at once. The tempo sped up exponentially. Kiku caught Anya's hand in a rock solid grip. And Anya lost all sensation of where her feet were going. She did as he had told her; the 'one two three' pattern of the step was one of the few dance moves she was able to perform. And Kiku kept his promise, somehow guiding her through complex shuffles and spins that she didn't know existed. Whenever she hesitated, he would grip her hand more tightly, encouraging her to keep moving. She didn't feel like she had in the one semester of dance instruction at home. Anya was lighter than air, more fluid than water, and as confident as she always pretended to be. She wasn't on the ship anymore. She was flying through the air, high enough to touch the stars.

The music swelled, and came to a sudden halt when a gentle second hand on her waist brought the dance to a stop. Their palms were splayed together, heavy breaths fogging the chilly night. As the last strains of the song faded, the enthusiastic applause of the three musicians brought Anya back down to earth.

"Amazing!" Atsushi exclaimed. "Captain, where did you learn to dance like that?"

"We knew you had great prowess with the sword," Hikaru added. "But this- this is something else!"

"It is not so surprising," Kiku said humbly. "The two are not so different."

"Really?" Anya asked curiously. "I... wouldn't mind learning swordplay, if it was anything like that." She utterly failed to hold back a yawn. The adrenaline had sputtered out of her system, leaving her drained and sleepy.

"Perhaps tomorrow," Kiku suggested. "We should get you to bed. Men, it's been a pleasure." The captain waved goodnight to his subordinates as they made their way to their rooms. "To the bridge, then?"

Anya shook her head. "I need to say goodnight."

"You're falling asleep standing up, Anya," he chided. "I promise; you can talk with the crew in the morning."

"No," she refused, arms crossed. "I'm going to tell them goodnight. I won't sleep a wink unless I do."

"That is fine," Kiku sighed in defeat. He realized that Anya would need to be at ease if he was to drop the whole situation on her. He had to at least warn her of the admiral's intentions, but he would try his best to prevent that from happening. "I'll be in the bridge getting you set up."

"Thanks," Anya grinned. She had known he would agree eventually. "I'll see you in a few, then." She shuffled below-decks to the brig and gently drummed her fingertips against the door. "Javier? Are you awake?"

"Only just, señorita," came the garbled reply. "I don't suppose you brought a key, did you?"

"I'm so sorry," Anya sighed. "If it would help at all for me to be in there with you..."

"But it wouldn't," Javier finished for her. "With you out and about, at least we know our situation. What imaginary ransom does your friend want next? A pot of gold from a leprechaun?"

"There are nice people here, Javier."

"No gracias, señorita. I am not interested in buying any Stockholm Syndrome today," he deadpanned.

"If I was susceptible to that, I wouldn't want to dump your captain into a vat of leeches," she pointed out offhandedly. "Besides, it's not as if I actually... like I'm really..." Anya trailed off. Was she happy here? She was happy with Kiku; that much she knew. But she couldn't let herself get distracted. No matter how nice he was, all that mattered was saving her friends and getting back to Holly. Kiku or no Kiku.

"I'm going to get you out of here," she whispered. "I swear."

"Por supuesto," Javier sighed. "Of course you will."

"Si," she agreed. "Creeme. Yo lo hare." Yes, she would do it. How would she do it? Anya had no idea whatsoever. "Buenas noches, Javier. Hasta manana." Anya dragged herself up to the bridge, only to find it locked. Frowning, she searched for the only other place she knew; Kiku's room. She only just found it, and was about to knock when she heard voices inside.

"Out a bit late, aren't we Honda?" Captain Souma laughed. "And why was Miss Anya with you? I was told she would be spending the night safely in the bridge. Did I misunderstand?"

"No," Kiku growled. "You did not. And I would advise you to go to bed, Ryu." Anya blinked, almost not realizing that this was the first time she had heard Captain Souma's first name. "The bridge was locked for some reason, and I did not want to disturb the admiral. Anya will be taking my room tonight. I need to collect her from the hold, so if you'll excuse me..." The door opened abruptly as Kiku exited his room, with Souma on his heels.

"Evening, Miss Anya," he smiled. "That was a lovely performance on the main deck, if I may say so."

Anya and Kiku both blushed. "Y-You saw that?" she giggled nervously.

"It was stupendous!" Souma insisted. "Kiku, you have acquired an incredible partner."

"So, I see that you found the bridge to be unavailable," Kiku said loudly, ignoring the other captain completely. "You should take my room tonight; I will bunk with some of my men close by. I have some work to do before turning in, anyway."

"That's wonderful," Ryu exclaimed. "I was hoping we would have some time to chat, Kiku. You know; the admiral's special orders?"

Kiku paled, glancing worriedly at Anya. She seemed too out of it to catch the implications. "Go on in, Anya," he said sharply. "I'll be back to check on you later." He glared at Ryu as he said this.

"Okay," she yawned. "Good night, Captain Souma."

"To you as well," he smirked. He and Kiku marched stiffly down the corridor. Anya wearily opened the nearest door and trudged over to the empty bed. She only glimpsed the comforter briefly before collapsing on top of it, but it was enough to show her that something wasn't right. Kiku's bed was decorated with cherry blossoms; this one was a dark solid color. She sat up slowly, looking over the room. It looked exactly like Kiku's in decoration, aside from the large bookshelf in the corner. If it wasn't Kiku's room, and everyone else was in bed...

Anya shuddered, realizing she had accidentally walked into Ryo Souma's state room. She stood up grumpily, ready to go and find Kiku's room, when she realized she wouldn't be able to tell it from the others anyway. Sighing, Anya decided to sit at the desk until Captain Souma and Kiku returned. She didn't want to fall asleep here, after all. Bored and dead on her feet, Anya picked up the nearest book and cracked it open. It was all in Japanese; no help there. She sighed again and walked to the bookshelf, scanning the spines in the dim light for anything resembling English. She finally found an unmarked book on the second shelf. When she attempted to pry it from its slot, however, it fell to the floor with a thud.

"Yikes," Anya gasped, shaking out her wrist. "It can't be that heavy." She knelt down and retrieved the book, opening it up to find a huge hole in the pages. Something hard and heavy tumbled out of the crevice and skittered across the smooth floor. Anya put the book down and scrambled after the object on her hands and knees until she found it near the door. Holding it up into the faint starlight, it caught the weak light and refracted rays of watery green light. Anya leaned against the door, squinting against the darkness, and could just barely make out the outline of a large heart in her hand.

"The Earth's Heart," she breathed. "But why is it here?" Suddenly, the door behind her opened outward, laying her flat on her back, emerald in hand. Ryu Souma towered over her, the shock on his face quickly turning into fury. Without saying a word, he grabbed Anya by her arm and threw her back into his room forcefully. The gem flew from her hand and knocked over an oil lamp, causing a loud crash. Footsteps sounded from the surrounding rooms as Ryu pinned Anya to the ground.

"You're too curious for your own good," he seethed. "To heck with the admiral; this is my backup plan." He jabbed the back of Anya's neck with his elbow, instantly knocking her unconscious. He retrieved the Earth's Heart from the floor and boldly slid it into the skirt of Anya's borrowed kimono. Then he took one of many knives from his belt and sliced a long, shallow cut along his own arm; this had to be convincing. He curled the unconscious girl's fingers around the handle and ran to the door just as the other captains and the admiral arrived. Kiku took one look at Anya and threw himself at Ryu, grabbing the other man by the collar.

"What happened here, Souma?" he yelled. Ryu's eyes widened in genuine surprise. He had never seen Kiku this angry before. He put on his best hurt face and gestured weakly with his arm.

"She was waiting here, admiring it. I tried to take it from her, but she got the knife from my desk and attacked me," he fake sobbed. "I was only defending myself, captain!"

"What did you try to take from her?" Kiku asked slowly, releasing the injured man. Ryu stumbled over to Anya and pretended to grimace as he slipped his hand above the hem of her skirt.

"This, gentlemen," he said sadly. "Our guest had the Earth's Heart all along. That cockamamie story about being kidnapped with her twin sister? Lies. This one is a pirate, through and through."

* * *

><p><strong>Dear Lord, I am seriously <em>hating <em>this guy! Got his name from the Soumas (Fruits Basket) and Ryu from the last letters of Kiryu (as in Zero and Ichiru, Vampire Knight) but he's such a bad guy... Oh, well~ Tell us what you think, because reviews are chicken legs to starving beggars!**

**R&R and good night, everybody!**


	5. Chapter 5

**We're baaaack~ And right on time, as promised. It's almost been two whole months since the idea for this story was conceived, and things just keep getting better! So without further ado, here is this week's chappie!**

* * *

><p>A soft humming was all that Anya could hear. A gentle, calloused hand was smoothing her hair back in a continuous calming motion. She sighed; she was dreaming about papá again. There had been countless evenings spent like this at home. Holly and mamá played with puzzles until her twin collapsed, and papá would sing to Anya until she fell asleep. He was humming her favorite lullaby, the pretty Spanish one. They were home, and they were all together again.<p>

"Buenas noches, papá," she whispered, as if she was still six. The humming abruptly stopped, and the soothing hand moved to her shoulder to shake her gently. When a familiar voice pleaded for her to wake up, Anya snapped her eyes open. She was lying on her back, her head cushioned on someone's legs. She looked up into a familiar face. "J-Javier?"

"Thank God," the Spanish man breathed, pulling Anya into a bear hug. "Smith, she's awake!"

The British deputy stepped carefully around his sleeping crewmates to kneel next to them. He gently caressed a spot under Anya's chin, and she winced.

"Sorry," he whispered. "Just making sure you're fully with us. Are you able to focus?"

"I..." she trailed off, cringing against the pain. Her face felt like it had been starched and left to dry. "I'm in the brig. Papá... Papá is gone," she whimpered. Anya threw herself back at Javier, clinging desperately to him. The two pirates gave each other confused looks, but didn't comment as the groggy girl let her tears out. They had only seen the tough, sharp-tongued Anya. The girl who had finally let her guard down had gotten her heart broken, and didn't care who heard her cry.

Eventually, Javier gently pulled her off of him. "Can you tell us what happened?" He spoke almost inaudibly, trying not to wake the others. "They just threw you in here about an hour ago. You have an awful bruise on your neck and a few shallow cuts on your arm and leg." Anya automatically reached down, but Smith caught her hand.

"We fixed it," he assured her. "But you can't mess with it. We don't have any more bandages. Why did they do this to you? You said they knew you weren't a pirate."

"I thought they knew, too," she whispered. "I don't know what to believe anymore. One of the captains had the gem the whole time."

"Cariño," Javier said patiently. "Our captains don't have the gem. Otherwise, we would be free by now."

"No, a naval captain!" Anya started rambling. "Captain Souma stole that jewel; I found it in his room. Before I could tell Kiku, Souma caught me. I don't remember anything else. Did you see who brought me here?"

Javier averted his eyes, unwilling to answer her. An insistent tug on his sleeve drew out the bitter truth. "There were two of them. Your friend with the sword and a man with knives in his belt. They unlocked the door while we were asleep, and the knife carrier just dumped you on the floor, unconscious. They didn't say a word, but Kiku -that's his name, right? - left some extra bandages for your leg."

Anya felt tears threaten to gather in her eyes once again, but she beat them back, silently daring them to fall. Just as she always did. So that was it. Kiku had never viewed her as anything but an enemy and a challenge. He had been under orders all day to flatter her and be nice to her... And make her trust him enough to actually start to like him.

"Well," she said finally. "I'll give them this: they're all amazing actors. I'm sorry, Javier. I didn't listen to you before and now..." She let her regret hang in the air until a loud snore from Valdez broke the silence. The three of them smiled in spite of their new troubles. If Souma had the gem, how was Arthur supposed to rescue them?

"We'll think of something in the morning," Smith promised before he went to sleep. "Twelve heads are better than three, after all." Soon, he was snoring with the rest of the men.

Javier leaned back against the wall and gently pushed Anya into her former position, her head resting comfortably just above his knees. "Go back to sleep, Anya," he said tiredly. "You'll need it for tomorrow."

Anya closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, but she found herself too troubled. She just couldn't relax. "Um, Javier...?"

"Hmm?" the man grunted. He was still awake, too.

"C-Could you do that thing again?" she asked, embarrassed. "I can't sleep."

"Is that alright?" he asked. He sounded surprised, but began slowly petting her hair once again. "This reminds you of your papá, no?"

Anya blushed, remembering that she had mistaken the man for her father. "Y-Yeah. He used to sing me to sleep with that song almost every night. He's the reason I learned Spanish. He would use it around the house so much that it was the best reminder of him after-" She broke off, not wanting to continue.

"What happened to him?" Javier asked around a yawn.

"There was a pirate raid in the winter when Holly and I were eight," she mumbled. The repetitive movement of his warm hand comforted her more than expected, bringing back calming memories. "Mamá locked us in our room and told me to take care of Holly. I could hear papá telling her to hide when the door was broken in." She could remember it all clearly; the shouting, the breaking wood. The gunshots.

"Lo siento, cariño." Javier sounded choked, like he was trying to swallow something hot. "I understand why you must hate me so much. As a pirate, I mean."

"I don't hate you," Anya yawned, unable to keep her eyes open. "I don't even dislike most pirates unless they kidnap me or something. I just really... really miss them. Holly actually remembers them more than I do, I think. All I can remember is their names. Laughing Luciano and Elegant Elena." She smirked at her own words; she had thought of those nicknames with Holly when they were very small. "That, and papá's lullaby. Could you sing it again? Please? Just until I fall asleep."

Javier immediately complied, humming the melody until he thought the girl was asleep. When he stopped, however, Anya grumbled in her sleep and turned her face into his hand. "Te amo, papá," she mumbled.

Javier froze, afraid to speak. He slowly took his hand away and leaned forward to kiss the top of Anya's head. "Te amo tambien, hija."

* * *

><p>"Ugh…what happened…?" Holly looked around the cabin groggily, searching for the two captains. Wait. Why was she looking for them? It was because of them she was in this predicament now.<p>

"Holly? Are you awake, love?" Arthur glanced warily into the cabin. She groaned in pain, the light causing her migraine to worsen.

"Y-yeah…I'm up…" she whispered quietly.

"Here, I brought you something." He walked over to the bed swiftly, handing her a handful (it looked like about ten) of aspirin and a large glass of water.

"What's this?" She stared at the pills blankly.

"They're aspirin. They'll help the hangover. Again." He sighed and sat next to her. She tilted her head back and popped them into her mouth, swallowing them down easily with the water. "Holly, I needed to talk to you about…last night." He trailed off, watching her. She nodded quietly. "There's a reason I would be unable to turn myself in. I never stole the jewel that they're looking for. Pirate's Honor," he promised her.

"But…how are we going to get Anya back, then…?" She searched for an answer in his bright green orbs. "I don't know. I'm still figuring that one out," he admitted. "Anyways, come on. There's someone I want you to meet. He's… an old friend." Arthur smiled fondly at her.

"U-uhm…alright. I'm cold, Artie." She pulled the blanket around her tighter. The other thought intently for a moment before walking over to his closet and grabbing a coat out of it.

It was his old captain jacket, a red and blue mix of fabric adorned with gold and silver here and there. "Wear this. It'll keep you warm." He wrapped it around her smaller frame; it almost swallowed her.

He helped her up off of the bed and walked her out to the main deck, where the crew was getting ready to get off of the boat. Holly's homesick eyes drank in the sight of solid ground, and she became excited in spite of her worries for Anya. She and Arthur met with Antonio on the gangplank, eventually heading out on to the actual land. The two led Holly throughout the small town, where she noticed something strange. The townspeople weren't afraid of them at all; in fact, they greeted them. They must have been friends with the people in this area, Holly imagined.

"Are your legs getting tired?" Arthur looked over at the brunette. He was more than familiar with the physical side effects of a bad hangover.

She nodded and sighed. "Kinda." Arthur put a hand on her shoulder, signaling for her to stop walking. He crouched down in front of Holly with his back to her, waiting for her to jump on.

She squeaked slightly as Arthur stood, catching her knees with his arms. Holly wrapped her arms around the top of his head until she was content enough to let go. She looked over at Antonio, who hadn't said one word to her the entire walk. _I'll ask him about it later_, Holly decided after a while.

"We're here!" Arthur grinned at the large mansion in front of them. He let Holly down and followed her inside, leaving a brooding Antonio to close the door behind them.

"Ah, there you are!" a thickly accented voice called. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it!" A tall, blond man descended the stairs. Holly looked at him suspiciously. He looked really familiar…

The stranger looked at her and smiled. "Ah, well hello there~" He smiled and walked up to her, reaching forward to kiss her cheeks. Holly blushed and pulled away instantly, trying to smack him but barely managing to touch him.

"Holly, no!" Antonio scowled slightly. "You don't hit people! That's how French people greet each other!"

Holly blushed heavily. "O-oh! I'm s-so sorry!" She looked down and allowed him to greet her properly.

"Anyways...Holly, this is Francis Bonnefey. He's one of our old friends," Arthur grinned.

Holly stepped forward to examine the other more closely. Her mind flashed back to that night four years ago, the night when the pirates came. That awful night she had spent cowering in the dark with Anya. "T-Tu es Francis…?" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Oui, il est m'appelle." He smiled down at her. Holly laughed out loud. "Francis grande frère!" She took a step forward and hugged him tightly. He chuckled and hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. "It's been too long, ma bonbon…you've gotten so big since the last time I saw you!" He grinned at her when she pulled back.

"I figured you might have wanted to see him since you hadn't gotten to in such a while," Arthur laughed a bit.

"Thank you so much Artie!" Holly giggled and smiled at the two. Antonio stood there silently the entire time, not saying a word.

"Ah, Antonio, mon ami, why do you have such a sad look on your face?" Francis turned his attention to the Spanish man.

"It's nothing…I'm just tired. Is it okay if I go to the guest room?"

"But of course, Tonio~ You know where it is." Toni headed up the stairs without another word.

"C-can I go talk to Toni for a second..? It's important…"Holly trailed off and looked at the two blonds beside of her.

"Go right ahead, love. We'll be in the piano room when you're done." Arthur smiled and walked with the other to the said room. Holly bounded up the stairs quickly, not knowing where she was going.

"Guest room….guest room…guest room!" The small girl eventually found the room Toni should have been in. She opened it quietly, the hinges not squeaking at all. She stepped in and looked around quietly.

The room was humid, for starters. She was wondering why this was before she saw the Spanish man lying on the bed, hair damp and asleep. He was in his regular outfit except he had no shirt on. She blushed brightly before turning to leave.

"Chica, I know you're already in here…you don't have to sneak around." He murmured, opening one eye to look at her.

"I-I'm sorry, I was just wanting to talk to you…" She fidgeted nervously.

"Okay. What is it?" He sat up slightly on his elbows.

"Why wouldn't you talk to me on the way here…? You didn't talk to me, you didn't even look at me…did I do something wrong…?" She turned to him with tears sparkling in the corners of her eyes, one slipping down her cheek.

He said nothing for a moment, not even looking, before hearing a tear hit the floor, followed by another. The brunette glanced up at her and felt horrible. How was he supposed to explain to her what she had done? She was drunk at the time, that's why she couldn't remember it of course. They had even been in a fight before that, and so why would she believe him? Although, he was sure that Arthur had explained what he had meant the night before…hadn't he?

"C-chica…please don't cry...please?" He gave her a begging look, sitting up on the side of the bed.

"Do you not even want me around anymore…?" She looked up at him, making direct eye contact.

"No, no, no, don't think that! Why would I not want you to-?"

"Because I'm obviously just a bother to you these days…" The girl choked back a sob. Toni was in shock; what was wrong with her?

"I want you around…don't think that…" He stood up and walked over to her in a few long steps, trying to get her to look at him. "Please…bella, look at me…" Holly shook her head defiantly, not budging, trying to get the tightness in her throat to disappear. He gently grabbed her chin, tilting her head up to look at him straight in the eyes, green pools meeting hazel ones. "You need to know what happened last night to know why I was avoiding you…" She saw a streak of pink dust itself over his tan cheeks.

"W-what h-h-happened…?" She stared at him in shock, not knowing what he was going to say.

"You…were drunk. When one of the crew boys brought you back to the cabin, he woke us up. Then, when Arthur and I came out, you tackled me…and said some stuff…" He looked away, releasing her.

"Antonio…what did I do…?" She winced after her voice broke in the middle of her sentence.

"You kissed me and told me you were in love with me…" He looked away, dodging her glance and walking to the other side of the room, looking out the window.

"…I told you that?" She watched him quietly. He nodded quietly, looking back at her. Her cheeks flushed darker, and she started to fidget nervously with the side of her shirt. "If you want me to leave I can-" She was cut off when he was back standing in front of her. She hadn't even noticed, probably because she had been messing with her clothes.

"Holly, don't go. We need you on the ship. We all love you…Javier and Smith love you, Arthur loves you…I love you." He whispered the last part almost inaudibly, blushing darker than before.

She looked at him before nodding quietly, "I won't leave, Toni. I promise on my li-" She let out a shrill noise as Antonio leaned down, kissing her lips softly before pulling back to look at her. The smaller brunette blushed even darker and looked away. Toni chuckled and pulled her into a tight hug, Holly burying her face in his chest. He held her closer, running his fingers through her hair.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a piano started playing. The song was called Intermezzo, if Toni remembered right. He pulled Holly away from him slightly and backed up, bowing down on one knee, holding his hand out. "Might I have this dance, milady?" He looked up at her and smiled. She nodded, taking his hand in her own. Toni wrapped his arm delicately around her waist as she mirrored his motion, holding his hand and lacing their fingers together as they started to slowly dance.

It was nothing too fast, but it wasn't overly slow either. They danced smoothly, their feet barely stopping as Holly twirled and was leaned back, and Toni smiling at her throughout. They barely even heard the Brit outside when he knocked on the door. They simply kept moving, the music gaining a bit more speed.

"What in the bloody world could they be doing?" Arthur growled impatiently; it had been almost a half hour since Holly had supposedly gone up to talk to Antonio. He knocked again, a little louder than the last time. "Holly! Holly! Open this door! Toni!" He tried again, his imagination running wild. _He better not be doing anything inappropriate_, Arthur panicked.

Knock…knock….knock….Arthur walked in and squeaked when he saw the two of them so close, blushing bright red. "For God's sake, Toni! Be decent and put a shirt on!" Arthur practically yelled and stormed out, the blush on his cheeks still overly prominent.

Francis was interested as to what was going on once he saw the Brit running down the hallway, yelling something and spazzing. He grinned and took his time going down the hall, eventually reaching the room. He had been down in the piano room like Arthur said, playing a ballad that he had learned recently. He poked his head in the door and smiled when he saw the two. "Awhh, Tonio~ You sneaky little devil you! ~" He laughed and closed the door slightly, seeing as how Holly's face had flushed further and was embarrassed slightly.

Toni simply chuckled and kissed the top of her head before looking into her eyes. "Here, I'll head downstairs with Francis and Arthur. Take a shower and relax for a bit. You need it right now." He smiled and grabbed his shirt, heading out of the room and closing it quietly.

Once it was closed, Holly sighed and sat on the side of the bed, still trying to register what all had just happened. She was overflowing with emotions; heartbroken for Anya, love for her friends and captains, happiness for her making up with Toni. But most of all, confusion for her own messed up feelings.

* * *

><p>"Look alive," Smith hissed. Anya's head was thumped unceremoniously to the floor as Javier was hoisted to his feet.<p>

"Wazgoinon?" she slurred, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Javier crouched down and helped her stand, supporting her injured leg.

"Someone knocked on the door," he whispered. "Someone's coming in." The door was opened slowly, and all Anya could see for a moment was the naked blade of an all too familiar katana. Kiku stood in a defensive stance, backed up by a lower ranked officer with a hand gun.

"Anya," he said tonelessly. "Come. There are questions that need to be answered."

"She's not going anywhere with you," Javier growled, tightening his arm protectively around Anya's shoulders. Anya looked up at him, surprised and a little touched by this outburst.

"That was not a request, nor is it your decision, pirate." Kiku took a menacing step forward. "Anya, I will not repeat myself again, or someone will get hurt. Come."

"Alright," she said coolly. "But I'm surprised, Captain Honda. What has happened to your manners?" Her quip earned her only a glare as she slowly pried herself away from Javier. She looked at the crewmen's' ashen faces and smiled dryly.

"See? You've even upset this rowdy lot of corsairs. For shame, Captain. Don't worry, you all. I'll have a talk with the captain here about decorum and be back to tell you all about it soon."

"Anya." Kiku sounded exasperated.

"Aye, aye," she joked. Her leg was on fire and it hurt to talk, but she wasn't going to let Kiku know that. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of showing how scared she was. She walked to the door with her legs straight and her head held high. Nodding amiably to the lieutenant with the gun, Anya closed the door behind her with a final childish wave to the pirates. Her smile vanished, however, when she made eye contact with Kiku.

"What do you want?" she growled. Growing up for Holly's sake had a few perks. One of these was that Anya could be frighteningly scathing when she wanted to. When she had first met Kiku, she had treated him with mistrust because he was a stranger. Now he didn't even have the benefit of the doubt. Now he was a real enemy; he had lied to her face and taken advantage of her feelings.

"You didn't have to do that," he grumbled, dismissing the lieutenant. "It was extremely childish."

"Do what?" she asked innocently. "I simply spoke my mind, captain. My friends were worried that you would hurt me. Again, that is." She gestured to her bound leg and throbbing jaw. "Hold on... I'm wearing my old clothes!" Her face flushed with embarrassment as she wondered who had undressed her.

"This is a military vessel," Kiku pointed out as he sheathed his sword back into his belt. "And as such, we have a doctor on board. But you do not need to treat me as a stranger. I came here to try and help you, not bicker like children over sweets. Will you come with me to the deck?"

Anya searched his eyes cautiously, looking for any trace of the man she had thought she knew. Once again, most of his callousness had dropped away as soon as the door had been locked behind them. If only she knew which of his personalities was his real one, and which was influenced by orders from his superior.

"Fine," she sighed, tired despite her sleep. "I'll try to keep up." She didn't say another word, not even commenting when Kiku linked arms with her to help her to the deck. As if he was still her friend, and cared that she was physically handicapped. He led her into the clear morning air and let her rest against the railing on deck.

"We have to be fast," Kiku whispered. "If the admiral finds out that you are not in the brig-"

"What? He'll throw me in it?" Anya snapped. "What are we even doing, Kiku? You got the gem back, even though the navy technically had it all along, so now what? You're just going to keep those innocent men locked up in that room forever?"

"You see? You obviously know a side of this story that I don't. The admiral will not hear you out, but I will if you will just talk to me." The captain looked around to make sure the deck was still clear. "Whatever I may have seen last night, I cannot believe that you were hiding the Earth's Heart this whole time. No offense, but you are not a very good liar."

"And we both know what an expertise you have on that particular subject," Anya muttered under her breath. Of course, he heard her anyway. His confused look enraged her. "Stop pretending, you jerk! I heard you and Captain Souma talking last night. You never once cared about me, as a friend or- or otherwise! You were only so nice to me because your boss made you!"

"Anya," Kiku said sharply. "While I may have been under orders to try and get the location of the Earth's Heart from you, I stopped trying long before the incident with the gem. My friendship is not something I give lightly, and I do not use it to my own advantage. I knew that you did not know where it was, because you told me so and I believed you, as a friend."

"Whatever," Anya snorted. "So tell me; why did my friend throw me, bleeding and unconscious, into a dark room with a group of men that he doesn't trust?"

"That was not my choice," he protested. "After you attacked Souma-!"

"_I_ attacked _him_?" Anya laughed. "Of course, I can see it now: Teen Civilian Jumps Defenseless Naval Officer! Kiku, Captain Souma had the gem with him the entire time! He didn't want me telling anyone that he'd taken it, so he knocked me out and pinned it all on me and Arthur."

"Impossible," Kiku said bluntly. "Ryu is a respected member of one of Japan's oldest families. He would have no use for such a fortune. He told us that he took the gem from you, and now it is safely under the admiral's protection. It will be in its rightful place soon."

"Look, I don't care about you or Ryu Souma or that stupid emerald or even the nation of Japan. Can you or can you not release those men now that you have your jewel back?" Anya demanded.

"The admiral forbids it," Kiku sighed, ignoring Anya's snarky comments. "The order is still in place for Arthur Kirkland's arrest. In other words, we cannot return home until we capture him. For that purpose, we are still in need of our hostages. Including you," he added sadly.

"You know what? I don't have to listen to this." Anya pushed herself roughly away from the rail and stalked across the deck. "I'm just going to go and get back to the others. Javier will be expecting me."

"They aren't your only friends on this ship, Anya!" Kiku grabbed her wrist. The force made her weak leg buckle, sending her falling into his grip. The captain supported her, but did not let her go. "I am your friend; no amount of orders can change that."

"Let go of me!"

"Would a soldier under orders let you break every rule of prisoner protocol?" he barged ahead. "Would I have risked both of our safeties as well as my job by bringing you here if I was simply acting by the will of the admiral?"

"Then why did you do it at all?" Anya struggled, but the cut on her leg had turned her limb to rubber. "You could have saved yourself the trouble and left me in the brig with the rest of the hostages!"

"Because the admiral would have hurt you!" Kiku blurted. Anya stopped struggling, doubt passing over her eyes for the first time that morning.

"W-What do you mean, hurt me?"

"He would have used you as the spokesperson for the rest of the hostages," he said softly. "Honestly, he still might. But if I could have gotten you to talk, he would have let you all go peacefully when Kirkland complied with the other term of surrender."

"You mean...?"

"But I knew you didn't know. I know that you are not a pirate, although you seem to feel at home with them. So instead of talking a location out of you, I tried to make the best of your time here. I was going to tell you about the admiral's orders last night, but... You know what happened."

"So you believe that Captain Souma stole the gem?" Anya guessed hopefully.

"I believe what you tell me," he admitted. "I have trusted you this whole time, and it pains me that you have not returned the favor. Can we be friends, Anya? Really, this time?"

"... Baka. Why were you protecting me so much?" Anya answered by knocking the wind out of the captain with a hug, ignoring that blasted leg. They enjoyed the moment until a loud thud sounded behind them. They sprang apart to find Midshipman Dojo staring at them in shock. He had dropped a spyglass, causing the noise they had heard.

"Good morning," Kiku said calmly.

"S-Sir!" Dojo saluted. "I apologize for the interruption."

"No need," the captain said breezily. "Just please don't tell anyone you saw us out here."

"O-Of course, sir."

"Come along, Anya. It's time for you to give your report to your mates. I have seen the light; I will have to apologize to them myself for being so terribly rude."

"Okay," Anya agreed. She smiled her thanks to Dojo and followed Kiku back inside. "Kiku, what do we do now? Arthur won't be able to pay the ransom, and no one else believes that Souma stole the Heart."

"I'll work something out," Kiku promised. "But can you do me one small favor?"

"Of course," she said earnestly. "Anything."

"Then please do not tell your men that I am helping you. If they act too comfortable, the admiral will know that something is wrong."

"Sure," she answered, surprised. "If you want them to stay mad at you, that's fine. Should I act angry when we get back?"

"Definitely," Kiku grinned. "Behave as if you think I am the most despicable thing you have ever had the misfortune of beholding."

"In other words, pretend that you're Captain Souma?"

"I believe that will work just fine."

"Shoot," Anya whispered, slowing down. "They'll hear us if we get too close. And I can't just willingly walk back into a cell; what if someone sees?"

"Then we should make this convincing, shouldn't we?" Before Anya could ask what he meant, Kiku moved behind her and grabbed both of her arms, just tightly enough to make her feel the need to tug herself away. "Struggle," he whispered. "I will hold you back, but I'll try not to hurt you."

Anya nodded and began pulling harshly at his hold, dragging her feet and trying to run. "Let me go!" she said loudly.

"Calm down," he grunted. "I'll let you go back to your filthy crew in a minute, pirate." Anya was struggling harder than he had anticipated, and he was having a hard time holding on without agitating her injury. They reached the cell door in a matter of moments, and Anya redoubled her efforts.

"Captain Honda, sir!" A lieutenant ran up to them, making Anya glad they had kept up their ruse. Middy Dojo was one thing; he knew her. But if a complete stranger had seen his captain fraternizing with a 'pirate', it would have been rather hard to explain. "Do you need help?"

"Just get that blasted door open," Kiku ordered. "Listen, all in there. Your friend is coming back in. I want you all against the far wall in three seconds or things will get ugly."

"Touch her and you're dead, compadre!" Anya recognized Javier's voice through the door. Another rush of warmth for the men inside welled up inside her, but she had to keep fighting.

"You can't do this, Honda!" she yelled. "You're all lowlife liars who aren't fit to lick our captain's boots!" Kiku raised his eyebrows at the random insult, but didn't say anything. The lieutenant finally unlocked the door, and Kiku shoved Anya through to the other side. She stumbled in, falling onto her hands and knees on the cold floor. At first he was afraid that he had actually hurt her, but a phantom smile reassured him that she was still acting.

"If your captain is so great, why hasn't he come for you yet?" he asked coldly. He was quite an actor, himself. "You're going to rot here, for all he cares. Enjoy being prisoners, pirates." He slammed the door and locked it, leaving the dozen captives in near darkness once again.

"Cariño, what happened?" Javier ran to her side. The other men were curious, too. She had been so calm when she left; what could have possibly made her so angry?

Anya let herself be hauled up, hissing when her stiff leg bent. "He called me a liar," she spat. "He said that I had made up the story about Holly and me getting kidnapped."

"Is that all?" Smith frowned. "You don't normally lose your cool over something so trivial, do you?"

"No." Anya made up a reason on the spot. "He- He told me to stop playing innocent and pretending that I had a sister and a family. When I tried to convince him that I wasn't a pirate by telling him how- how my parents died, he laughed in my face and said that I was a horrible storyteller. He said that every word I had ever told him was a lie. Holly, Captain Kirkland, papá; everything."

"When you were coming down the corridor, you were yelling 'You can't do this'," Valdez pointed out. "What did you mean?"

"They aren't going to let us go," Anya whispered. "They think they got the Earth's Heart back from Arthur through me, and that wasn't part of the ransom they left him. If Arthur turns himself in to complete the deal, the navy will never release us." Although it wasn't necessarily true, Anya thought that it sounded like something Souma would do. It was just despicable enough to work.

The pirates said nothing. Anya hadn't noticed before, but the day or two in the brig had had an effect on the men. Their eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and they seemed so subdued.

"Then we'll just have to try harder," Smith finally spoke into the silence. "We will find a way out of here, captain or no captain. Everyone can go back to sleep; we need to conserve our energy." The men nodded weakly and slinked back into their various places on the floor to try and catch some rest. In the silence that followed, Anya stayed by Javier and Smith. She felt safer with them, the captains' trusted lieutenants. She leaned her head against Javier's shoulder and was soon snoring softly.

* * *

><p><em>Tap tap-tap tap tap<em>. Anya awoke to the gentle rapping on the door. She looked around; the men were all still dozing fitfully. Easing herself off of Javier's arm, she crawled over to the door and knocked back gently.

"Hello?" she whispered, hoping Kiku would answer her. The door unlatched, revealing a dark corridor. A single lantern light illuminated a stark silhouette in the doorway. The figure held its hand out to Anya, beckoning for her to come along. She latched onto the hand and was helped to her feet as the shadow locked the door behind them. Not a single man stirred as she followed the wraith-like man to the upper deck.

"What's happened?" Anya whispered. "Why did you bring me out here in the middle of the night?"

"I felt like it," the cold voice said in reply. It was not Kiku's voice.

Anya gasped, backing away. "Y-you aren't-!"

"Yes, yes. I'm sure you were hoping for Captain Honda," Ryu said with a smirk. "He's like your prince charming, isn't he?"

"A-As if," Anya drawled. "He lied to me; you all did. I'm going back to the brig now, if you don't mind." As she put her hand on the door, a quivering blade buried itself in the wood a millimeter from her hand, drawing blood from her little finger.

"Move again without my permission, and your arm will be next," Souma said lazily. A second knife flashed silver in his hand, twirling to catch the starlight. "Now there's something I need you to do for me."

"You sure know how to ask for a favor," Anya muttered under her breath. "Do you honestly think for one minute that I'll do anything if the request is from you? It's your fault I'm in this mess!"

"It's nothing much," he prompted. "I just want you to play pretend for a bit. You can even tell your friends about it; I doubt they'll disagree."

"What do you want?" she asked finally.

"You and I are going to steal the Earth's Heart."

"Why do you want that stupid gem so badly?" Anya demanded. "Kiku told me that you're rich! You don't need that kind of money, and all your little adventure has done is hurt people. It's time to give it up and just let us go!"

"You have quite a big mouth for a defenseless little girl," Souma threatened. "And don't worry about my reasons; you'll have your own for doing exactly what I say."

"I'm not afraid of you," she bluffed. "If I'm hurt, everyone will know who did it."

"That's right," Souma mused dreamily. "You have darling Kiku on your side, don't you? Well, how about one of the pirates?" Anya had prepared for him to threaten her friends; she kept her face as stony as possible. "No? Pity. That big Spaniard has been a nuisance, trying to order the guards to bring blankets and such. What about Captain Honda?"

"You-!" Anya stopped herself, but it was too late. She had broken down.

"Ah," Souma leered. "That'll be it. You know, anyone could hold a grudge against a superior officer. A poorly aimed throw, a slip of the hand while handling certain toxins, a well-placed shove near the edge of the ship; it wouldn't take much, I assure you."

"... So if I do this, you won't hurt anyone?" Anya asked cautiously. "And the crew will be free to rejoin the _Hetalia_?"

"Of course," he grinned. "It's good to see you cooperating so easily! Now, here is what we do..."

* * *

><p><strong>Have I mentioned how much <em>fun <em>it is to write this story? Although we have no real knowledge of pirates or the navy (does Japan even have an Imperial Navy? Who cares?) it's so much fun to try to add in those little details. Now I _know _there are probably over nine thousand (; errors, so help us out by _nicely _pointing them out when you see them, eh? The fluff continues and the school year is winding down; we'll have this puppy wrapped up in no time at all! And thank you to you TOTALLY AWESOME five reviewers so far, and to the faves and subs. Getting alerted of that stuff just makes our day~ R&R, you guys are the best for reading this far!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Right on time, as usual! Cute fluff is fluffy^^ Enjoy~**

**Author note time from Christina! We're so happy with the positive feedback! We weren't prepared for this awesomeness that is called reviews and reviewers. You guys are AMAZING. This story's birthday (...monthday technically) is this Friday, so happy birthday WIFY! We hope you enjoy this installment and that you come back next week!**

**Maya and Holly no owny Hetalia. If they did, well...let's just leave it at that so that the world doesn't explode or something.**

* * *

><p>"This is crazy," Anya groaned. She was standing outside on the deck, waiting for Ryu. The sun would be rising soon, and the captain was late in his liberation of the emerald.<p>

"Be quiet," he shushed. "I'm almost done." A soft click sounded as he picked the lock on the box that held the priceless gem. He took his prize from its resting place and quietly snapped the lock closed. Bundling the emerald into his jacket, Ryu passed Anya a heap of cloth and a medium sized rock. "Wrap up the stone," he ordered. "When I get back, I'll raise the alarm that the gem has been stolen; by you, of course. Then you-"

"Throw the decoy into the water," Anya sighed. "So no one will suspect you. And then you'll convince the admiral to let us go?"

"Of course," Souma pacified. "Why the long face, princess? You look quite sad for a girl who just bought her friends' freedom and her boyfriend's life."

"I'm not- Wait, he's not my-!"

"Okay, I was just kidding," he shushed. "I'll be right back. If anyone sees you, scream and run. I'll be there as soon as I can." With that, he was gone. Anya shuddered, repulsed that she was being forced to work with the creep. At least it would get her one step closer to Holly without getting Arthur arrested.

* * *

><p>Holly washed her hair slowly in the large tub. It was filled almost to the brim with near-scorching hot water, the clear liquid starting to get cloudy once the soap was washed off and leaving her hair clean. She looked around and eventually found a pair of scissors to trim her hair; she had to cut off the excess inches that had grown on her curly locks since their voyage had begun. It was her first time cutting her own hair, but she had cut Anya's a few times. She silently hacked off the matted ends and made sure it was even before brushing out her hair.<p>

She wrapped a towel tightly around herself, walking out to get her clothes from the bed. She assured herself the door was locked and walked back over to the bed. Her clothes, except for her boots, were gone, and were instead replaced by a square of fabric wrapped in ribbon. There was a note tucked under the bow.

**"Thought you might want some new clothes; had a friend bring these from his home."** Toni's handwriting scribbled its way across the parchment. She smiled softly and removed the red, yellow, and black length-ways striped ribbon from the top and shook out the garment.

_"So what did you bring her?" Francis grinned at Gilbert, winking._

_"Just a little something from West," Gilbert smirked lightly and leaned back into the velvety material of the couch, taking a sip of his beer. "Toni said she needed cheering up, and I guess that even I, as awesome as I am, had to apologize for scaring her spitless. The poor kid probably still has nightmares." The albino looked entirely too happy about that. "I hope she likes it, though. It was freakin' expensive!"_

"I…look _ridiculous_…" The brunette groaned at her reflection. The dress gleamed in the setting sunlight, as if disagreeing with her. The dress had a corset type top; the ribbon was red, the trimming black, and the main fabric was a golden yellow color. The skirt of the dress flared out; the middle of the front was cut out to reveal a pair of long, tan legs, while the back stayed long. A pair of shorts rested on her hips where the dress was cut out. The layers alternated between the red, black, and yellow pattern. The dress was strapless, and she wore the same black boots she was given beforehand. Her hair was dried now, and she had pulled the ringlets up into a high ponytail that she tied back with the ribbon from the note.

"Holly? Holly, are you ready? It's time for dinner." A French accented voice called out from the other side of the door, bringing her out of her angst.

"I-I guess…You can come on in…" She unlocked the door and walked back to where she had been previously, fiddling with the ruffled layers. "I look strange, grand frère," she muttered under her breath, glancing back to the mirror.

"Non, tu ne fais pas. Tu vois tres bien." He smiled reassuringly and stood behind her in the mirror, putting an arm around her shoulder. She blushed and fidgeted nervously with the first ruffle on the dress. He put his arm out in a gentlemanly fashion and she graciously accepted, following him to the dining room down the staircase.

Toni sat across from a strange man who Holly didn't know while Arthur sat quietly and simply drank his tea. Once the two were seated comfortably, the talking ceased and the stranger looked at Holly wolfishly. "Ah, so you're the infamous Holly from the village, ja?" the albino said in a sickeningly smug voice.

Holly froze where she was sitting; those piercing, red eyes, that German accent in his voice, that silver hair. She knew this man. The teen stood and ran out of the room as fast as she could, not looking back and barely registering the "Holly, wait!" that Arthur yelled at her. She ran as fast as she could through the many doors of the house, taking no breaks to look back or catch her breath. She eventually hit a dead end, pausing where she stood now in the sunroom. The sun was just retreating over the mountains, the red, orange, and golden hues filling the glass chamber with sparkles.

"Holly, what has gotten in to you?" Arthur approached her and stood behind her, not bothering to turn her around. A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another as the crystal diamonds hit the floor, glinting their way to the tiled floor.

She instantly turned around and hugged him around his waist, pulling him tighter to her as she choked out a sob. "He's the pirate, Artie…He's the guy who raided our town…" she sobbed quietly.

'Dear lord… she's having a panic attack…that's why she's like this…' Arthur thought to himself quietly, holding her tighter. "Holly…he's here to help us…he isn't going to do anything. He's our friend, and I'm sorry that I forgot about what happened all that time ago. I wasn't thinking." He pulled her back to look her in the eyes.

She looked up at him and nodded, tears making her eyes spark colors that Arthur had never noticed; hues of greens, golds, browns, and a black ring around the outer perimeter. He leaned in slowly and gave her a serious look before fluttering his eyes shut and kissing her lips softly, not pulling back for a while. When he finally did, Holly blushed darkly and watched him. He chuckled lightly at her face and held a hand out. "Come on; let's go get you to dinner."

"Que pensé? Fait tu avoir envie malade?" Francis looked at the younger French speaker when they returned.

"Oh, n-non, je suis d'accord," She smiled softly as she stuttered.

"Anyhow, this here is Gilbert. He's going to help us get your sister back," Toni grinned.

Holly sat there quietly for the most part, not interacting much in the conversations. The scare from Gilbert had shaken her up, but she tried not to show it for Francis's sake. She decided to retreat back to the guest room that she, Arthur, and Toni were going to share that night. It was on the fourth floor, so by the time that she had gotten there, she was worn out.

Toni and Arthur finally decided to do the same as her, greeted with the sleeping form of her at the desk. The room consisted of two beds and a writing desk. Holly laid there fast asleep, a letter under her arm and a quill pen clutched loosely in her hand. Arthur gently removed the paper from her desk and read a few words aloud. "Belle soeur… manqué toi…une robe en rouge, jaune, et noire…j'adore toi…she's talking about missing Anya…the dress…she loves her." He smiled sadly. "And she says that she hopes Anya will be proud of her for being brave and lasting through a dinner with Gilbert."

Toni was tearing up slightly, trying to blink the inevitable away. "Artie…do you think this is our fault…?" He glanced at the blond.

"No, it isn't. Of course it isn't! We had no way of knowing that this would happen." Arthur paused. "Toni... I'm turning myself in. Tonight. The navy is only a mile or so offshore."

"Artie-"

"Don't try to stop me," he whispered quietly. "And do not, I repeat, do not tell Holly. She doesn't need to know."

"Of course not," Toni smirked. "I just hope you plan on having a short trip, hermano, because we'll be there to bust you out before you know it!" He clapped the British captain on the shoulder. Holly chose that moment to stir and wake up.

"Ugh…Toni…Artie…?" The sleepy girl raised her head slightly to look at the two, rubbing sleep from her eyes. They smiled and greeted her.

"Well hey there, sleepy head. How are you doing?" Arthur smiled.

She yawned. "I'm sleepy…I'm ready for bed. Are there any night clothes I can borrow?" She looked around.

"Yeah, they're in the closet, I'll go get them for you. You two can spend a bit of time together~" Toni winked and skipped out of the room to the hallway.

"What was that about?" Holly giggled slightly. Arthur simply smiled and laughed a bit.

"I dunno. He's just like that sometimes." He sat on the bed near the window and sighed, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. "I'm so worn out from today, love. It's been too long." He laughed again.

"Yupp, it sure has." The brunette walked over and sat on the side of the bed closest to the window, watching the glimpses of the sunset fill the room.

"Holly…I know Anya would hate for me to tell you this, but I love you very much," he murmured. She blushed darker, turning around.

"Well, I love you too Artie," She smiled and laid back, turning onto her stomach and propping herself to lie next to him. He reached an arm around her smaller frame and pulled her closer, resting her so her head was on his chest and she was comfortably situated.

"Arthur…will you say a prayer with me? It's been so long since I've prayed… Maybe it'll help Anya." She looked at him pleadingly.

"Of course I will. Come here." He got on his knees with her and faced the window as she joined him. "Et maintenant je jete moi-mete a dormir, je donne mon dieu mon ame a maintenir, et si je mouri apres je revieller, je donne mon dieu mon ame a prendre. Amen." He finished the French prayer.

"Thank you Arthur. So much." She smiled gratefully at him.

"It's no problem," he said tenderly, caressing the side of her face. "Anything for you." He leaned forward and kissed her again, lingering a bit longer before pulling back.

"Here we are!" The Spanish man burst back into the room with a tank top and black, baggy pants in his arms. Holly shrieked and fell off of the bed, popping up like a blushing jack in the box.

"Antonio," Arthur glared with a deadly tone. "You have heard of the concept of knocking, I assume."

"Sorry, hermano," Toni laughed. He ruffled Holly's hair playfully and placed the clothes in her arms before flopping down on one of the beds. She thanked him and skittered into the bathroom to change.

"Real classy," Arthur grumbled.

"Don't blame me, Art. Just because you're going to be noble doesn't mean I'm giving up on her." He gave a mock glare that showed his intentions before turning over and falling asleep quickly.

Holly came back into the bedroom, the tank top hugging her waist while the pants hung loosely on her hips. "Good night," she whispered. She crawled into the remaining bed while Arthur turned the lights off. He hesitated before kicking off his boots and lying down next to the twin.

"A-Artie?" Holly blushed. "What are you doing?"

"You don't mind, do you, love?" he whispered, blushing even more. "You seemed lonely, so I thought I'd keep you company." _And wait until I know you're asleep before I leave._

"Sure," she sighed. "Thanks." She curled up against his side gratefully, snuggling into his shirt. In minutes, her breathing had evened and she was sleeping peacefully in Arthur's arms.

"J'adore toi, Holly," he murmured, petting her hair down. "I just hope you still love me when you wake up and I'm gone."

* * *

><p>Javier knew something was wrong as soon as he opened his eyes. He shook Smith awake roughly. "Wake up, hermano! Anya's gone!"<p>

"What?" Smith sat up with a gasp. "How did we miss the door opening? They always knock."

"That officer must have taken her again!" Javier groaned. "She went too far with the insults. I swear, that temper of hers-!"

"We would have woken up," Smith disagreed. "You can't just do that without making any noise. She wouldn't go without a fight. She was sleeping on your shoulder, for goodness sake!"

"They aren't beyond threatening her life," he snapped. One of the men stirred, but Javier didn't care. "I never trusted him! We should have had someone keep watch!"

"We're all at their mercy, Jav," Smith said gravely. "They could walk in here and shoot us all if they wanted to. It might be a good sign. They could have changed their minds about her, after all. All we can do is wait."

"I can't just sit here!" Javier yelled. "I've already lost the girls once, and I'm not going to let them down again!" The man fell back against the wall, looking exhausted.

"You have something to tell me, amigo?" Smith asked.

"No, it's nothing. But Smith, what if she-?"

"It'll be okay," he promised. "That girl is as strong as any of us. She'll pull through."

"I know she will," Javier sighed. "I just wish she didn't have to do it alone."

* * *

><p>Kiku couldn't sleep; he was too anxious. Ryu had left dinner early, and hadn't been seen since. Although he knew it was irrational, he simply couldn't shake the feeling that the captain was up to something. Pulling his jacket on over his nightclothes, Kiku sneaked down to the brig.<p>

"Anya," he called softly, crouching by the door. "It's me. Are you alright?"

"Wait, she isn't with you?" a panicked voice exclaimed. It was the man whom Anya had called Javier. "Listen, I don't know what's going on, but Anya isn't here. We-We thought you had taken her while we were asleep."

"No!" Kiku exclaimed, alarmed. "How long has she been gone?"

"At least half an hour; that's when I woke up and found her gone."

"I have to find her!" Kiku stood to leave, but Javier called him back.

"Hold on, Capitan." He sounded desperate. "You don't owe us anything, but I'm begging you; please protect her."

"You all really love her, don't you?" Kiku realized.

"Por supuesto, idiota! So please, keep her safe!"

"I give you my word," he vowed solemnly. "I will protect Anya to the very best of my abilities." He ran out onto the deck without knowing where to go. Then it came to him; the stone! He was such a fool; if Ryu had stolen it once, he could easily do it again. And this time he really would make Anya an accomplice.

Changing course, he finally spotted Anya staring at the stars, leaning idly against the rail with a bundle in her arms. "Anya," he cried. "What are you doing?"

The girl whirled around, and Kiku saw first shock, and then outright terror, flash in her violet eyes. "K-Kiku," she gasped. "No... No, you can't be here!"

She bolted across the deck all the way to the front of the ship. Kiku caught her in the corner at the very end of the prow.

"Anya, what is going on?" he demanded. "How are you even here? And- Anya? What are you holding?"

"I'm sorry," Anya whispered, fat tears gliding down her cheeks. "Kiku, I promise, I'll explain everything later." Then she turned and threw her bundle off the side of the ship and into the sea.

_Thunk_. Well, almost into the sea.

"Ow!" A familiar voice cursed. "Bugger, that hurt! Oi, who's up there?"

"Arthur?" Anya shrieked.

"Anya!" The British captain's incredulous face appeared above the railing of the navy ship. "Thank God, you're all right! A little help?" Anya grabbed his hand and helped him the rest of the way up.

"What are you doing here, you idiot?" Anya freaked. "You do realize that this is the naval ship that wants to lock you up?"

"I know what I'm doing," he winced. "You don't have to find a new decibel level just to ask a question."

Kiku watched in wonder as Anya scoffed and threw her arms around the pirate, insulting him the entire time. She told him what an idiot he was, and how only stupid people try to climb the sides of ships, and that if he had done anything to Holly that she would take back every nice thing she had said about him and push him overboard.

"You spoke well of me?" Arthur asked, pleasantly surprised. "I must say, I'm flattered. I thought you hated me."

"Oh, don't worry," she assured him, still not letting go. "I still hate you. Just not enough that I want you to die, got it?"

"That works for me," he grinned, patting her head. "Now excuse me; there's something I've come to do." Arthur turned to Kiku. "You're an officer here, aren't you? You need to know that I didn't steal your Earth's whatsit. All I can offer you is myself in exchange for my subordinates."

"Arthur, what are you-?"

"Please love, be quiet," he hushed. "It's the only way to get you back to your sister. This whole ordeal is my fault, so I'm fixing it!"

"I know that you are not the one who stole the stone," Kiku said slowly. "One of my comrades is the guilty party, but Anya and I are the only ones who know this."

"Kiku is my friend, Arthur," Anya added quietly. "He's been helping us."

"Then I give you my thanks for treating my friend kindly," Arthur said. "But who is this fellow who framed me?"

"I'm afraid that that would be me." The trio jumped and turned to find Ryu Souma glaring at them. "Pleased to meet you, Captain Kirkland," he scoffed. "And Anya, dear, why didn't you alert me when you were discovered? This wasn't part of our plan."

"Plan?" Kiku repeated. He looked to Anya, who had gone pale as a ghost as soon as Souma had arrived. "Anya, what is he talking about?"

"Kiku, I haven't-!"

"She's a traitor, Honda," Souma smirked. "She switches sides as easily as breathing. She was with the pirates, but I made a deal with her to steal the stone. Anya works for me, baka." Before the others could retaliate, the captain pulled out his command whistle and blew one long, piercing note. The pounding of military grade boots instantly filled the night.

"Kiku, get over there with Souma," Anya hissed. "You'll get in trouble if they think you're with us!" She shoved Kiku in Ryu's direction just as the deck flooded with officers of all ages and ranks, all wearing their nightclothes and boots.

The admiral pushed his way to the front of the group with a pistol in his hand. "So you're the infamous Arthur Kirkland?" he said curiously. "Somehow, I imagined you... Taller."

"I do my best," Arthur quipped. His attempt at humor was lost on the old man. He tried being more formal. "Sir, I see that you are in charge here. I apologize for not being able to conform to the standards of your request, but I have never been in possession of the jewel you are seeking. It is my hope that I may exchange my life for those of the hostages."

"Typical pirate," the admiral laughed. "You presume that your life is worth a dozen others? I should have my captains execute your pitiful crew on the spot."

"No!" Anya cried. The naval officers seemed to notice her for the first time. A group of middies grabbed her and dragged her away from Arthur. "Arthur, don't be an idiot!" she yelled, fighting the soldiers uselessly. One finally pulled a knife on her, halting her struggles, but she would not be silenced. "If you give yourself up, they'll never let the crew go!"

"Silence, you insolent girl!" Souma growled. "You dare to doubt the honor of the Imperial Navy? The gem is in our possession, and we are men of our word; if Kirkland surrenders, your friends will all go free."

"Do you accept the terms, Kirkland?" the admiral demanded. Arthur looked helplessly at Anya, and then slowly unbuckled his sword from his belt. He held his only weapon by the scabbard, and walked forward until he was only a few feet from the admiral. Arthur gave Anya one more falsely reassuring smile before kneeling, laying his own sword at the feet of his enemy. The universal sign of unconditional surrender.

* * *

><p>Toni snored lightly as Holly mumbled something in her sleep. She was having another nightmare, her eyes scrunched tight. She grasped blindly at the sheets, attempting to hold something. She met only cool sheets. Where was Arthur? Holly tried to call out to him, but she was suddenly unable to move. She was having another round of sleep paralysis! The pressure was back, making it impossible for her to breathe, crushing her chest.<p>

She wanted to get Toni's attention, to help her get out of the predicament, but he was sound asleep in the other bed. She whimpered in her mind, moving her eyes around frantically in a way to get out of the state she was currently in. The attack finally ended, allowing her to let out a whimper. She gasped and sat up, letting out a hoarse scream. The chilling noise had Toni awake instantly. He bolted up out of the bed, the blanket getting thrown halfway across the room as he seized a knife from the small bedside table.

Holly gasped again as she grasped the blankets, finding the Brit to be gone. Her heart rate sped up as the panic attack set in. The teen's hands shook, and she grabbed a pillow and clutched it tightly to her chest, hyperventilating and rocking back and forth. Toni instantly put his knife away and ran over to the bed, jumping on and hugging her tightly, pulling her into his lap.

"Where is he, Toni? Where is he, where is he, where is he?" She shook in his arms, trying to find out where the blond was. The only clear thoughts she could string together were that Anya had disappeared, and now Artie had, too. Toni held her to his chest, laying his chin on the top of her head and patting down her hair in an endeavor to tranquilize her so she could listen.

"Holly, it's okay. Arthur's just gone out for a while… Shhh...It's okay… It's okay…" He rocked her back and forth gently. She lay there in his arms, sobs shaking her body. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a tight embrace, not wanting to let go.

He gently pulled her closer, combing his fingers through her hair soothingly. "It's okay, I'm here Holly. Calm down…" The girl hardly realized what he had said, only whimpering until she was calm. She looked up at him shyly, the dried tears on her cheeks dulling her skin as Toni leaned his face close to hers. Holly blushed and looked away quickly. He smiled at the younger teen's innocence.

"Come here, you." Instead of kissing her, as she had thought, Toni pulled her into a warm hug. She instantly relaxed, cuddling up against him.

He chuckled to himself. "Me and Artie sure do have a contest going for ourselves," he grinned.

Holly had already fallen back asleep, not worrying about how the rest of the day would go. She woke up later in the arms of the sleeping Spaniard holding her closely and protectively. She smiled softly and rolled out from underneath his arm. "Holly…you awake?" he mumbled, rolling over on his stomach.

"Uh-huh, I'm going to get some breakfast." She went out of the room in her pajamas, down the spiral staircases, and into the dining room where the blond Frenchie and albino Prussian sat discussing their plans.

"Good morning, grande frère," she greeted them with a yawn and wave. "G-Good morning, Gilbert."

"Good morning, ma bonbon," Francis motioned her over to hug her around the waist, kissing her cheek softly.

"Don't I get a hug, too?" Gilbert fake pouted. Holly smiled softly as she skipped over, hugging the albino briefly and going to eat. She ate a bowl of cereal and drank some apple juice, washing the dishes before she left. When she got back up the stairs, Toni had disappeared from the room, slipping into the meeting room with the other two, discussing what they were going to do about getting Anya back.

"Toniiii! When is Arthur gonna be backkkkk?" She sat in the sunroom at the desk, trying to add more details to the drawing she was working on. She looked up from her depiction of the view from the window to look at him expectantly.

He froze and glanced at her nervously before looking away. "I-I don't know," he mumbled slightly.

"Yes you do," she pouted. "Where did he go that's taking him so long to get back?"

Toni gulped. "H-He went to the Naval ship…" he slurred the sentence quickly.

"He what?" Her voice rose to an almost screaming tone.

"Listen Holly, you have to under-"

"I told him not to!" Holly raged. "He never listens, I know that, but why'd he go! It will only be harder to save everyone now! We have to stop him!" she rambled, starting to shake again.

"Chica, calm down! We're going to get him back, but you have to relax!" He sighed and walked over to her and sat on his knees in front of her.

"Why did Artie have to do that…?" A tear fell down her cheek again in its same familiar path.

Toni brushed a thumb past her cheek and wiped it away, giving her a reassuring smile "We won't let anything happen to Arthur, I swear to you, okay? It's all a part of our plan; we've got it all worked out." He kissed her forehead and lifted her up. He carried her quietly to their room, laying her in the bed. "Take a nap. You need it." She couldn't argue as sleep over took her once again. Toni quietly shut the door and grimaced, ready to face an even harder task than calming a hysterical teen.

"Holly is asleep...we can start the plan now." Antonio made his way down the steps quietly, wanting to assure himself that she wasn't going to wake up.

"Gut. Come on," Gilbert pointed to the map room that Francis had prepared for their planning. "I didn't mean to scare her, ya know," the albino snickered. "I guess it was my awesome aura."

"Don't worry," Toni chuckled. "She's tougher than she seems. I think Anya babied her too much." The brunette made his way to the small chamber with the Prussian.

"Arthur already-" Antonio started before being cut off.

"He already left. We know." Francis looked up at him from his map board. "He came and told me," he explained softly.

"O-Oh. Okay." Toni sat with the other captains to discuss battle plans.

"First, we'll have Gil's navy attack from the front for a distraction while my own attacks the back," Francis instructed. "While they're dealing with that, we'll come from behind and take out the crew. Toni," the blond looked at the Spaniard. "It's going to be up to you to rescue Anya and Arthur. Can you do that?"

He nodded furiously. "Of course I can!"

The Frenchman smiled at his fellow pirates, determined. "Good. We'll attack at dawn, in about four and a half hours. Everyone understand?"

"Sir, yes sir!" the other two chimed in unison, saluting amusingly. They all laughed; this is why they were friends. This is how they earned the title of The Bad Touch Trio.

"Toni, stay for a second please. I need to talk to you." Francis held his friend back from exiting.

"Of course," Toni said, mildly surprised. "What is it?" He turned around to join his friend.

"I know you're infatuated with Holly. Arthur is too; he told me about it. Arthur didn't take this into account, but I need you to listen closely." He glanced at him, a mask of pure seriousness plastered to his face. "Despite the feelings you have for de fille, you cannot lose concentration during this. When emotions run high, people act rashly. One bad move and you may never see her again."

Toni walked over to the window, staring into the night sky that the twins loved so much. "I know. I don't plan on leaving her. I just think she's confused right now, really," he chuckled. "Confused between me and Artie, that is. He truly cares deeply for her. He's a real gentleman, with so much to offer her. And then there's me. I wouldn't be surprised if she picked him over me." A sad smile formed on his face as he teared up slightly.

"True love never gives up, mon ami. If you give up now, she'll never want-"

"I know, Francis," he snapped lightly. "I never said I would give up on her. I will respect her wishes, but I will never give up." He paused before continuing, "Should I bring her with me? I'll worry if she's left here alone."

"Non. It's too dangerous." Francis insisted. "She won't be alone, anyway. Ivan's housekeepers and little sister will be here soon to look after Holly."

Toni frowned, sighing. "Okay. If you say so."

* * *

><p>Anya was dead on her feet. In spite of all the extra sleep, she felt like it had been days since she had even sat down. The last few hours had been a blur of interrogations, tears, and all-around torture. And she couldn't even tell the truth.<p>

"I told you," she said calmly to the admiral. "I stole the Earth's Heart and threw it into the sea. Kiku tried to stop me, but he was too late." It was hard to put any sincerity into her lie, but she had to, for the sake of the crew. And for Kiku.

"And your captain just happened to come along at that exact moment? It's an ideal handoff," he scoffed. He nudged Arthur's silent form with the leather toe of his boot. The pirate captain's wrists were raw from the rough ropes binding them, as were his ankles. Anya pitied him; at least she was sitting somewhat comfortably in a chair while she was interrogated.

"I had no idea he was coming!" she said, irritated. "Why would I steal the key to our release when we were mere minutes from being freed?" The admiral had no answer for that.

"To spite us, perhaps?" Souma broke in. He moved around from his position behind Anya to smirk in her face. "You were angry at Captain Honda for lying to you and me for getting the gem back. The best path of revenge would be to humiliate us further. Isn't that right?"

Anya bit her tongue until she tasted blood. She had no choice but to go along with whatever Ryu said. Otherwise, they were all dead. So she didn't deny it, but continued to play the part of the found-out criminal.

"That's ridiculous," she grumbled. "I'm not that hotheaded. I want to get out of here as much as the next crewman."

"Ah, yes," Souma drawled. "A crewman; loyal to your friends and captain above all else. Tell me; are there any other women on your crew, Kirkland?" The pirate captain didn't answer. His eyes were dead and glazed, and it was scaring Anya more than she would ever admit. The kind, gentlemanly Brit seemed to have lost all of his vigor and will to fight.

"It's just me and my sister," Anya said quickly. "And we aren't really part of the crew like the-"

"I don't believe I was speaking to you," Souma said icily. He stomped over to Arthur and dragged him upright by his hair. "I won't ask again, pirate! How many females are on your crew?" He shook the captain for good measure.

"Are you mad?" Arthur mumbled. "Don't you know that it's bad luck to have a woman on your ship? No self-respecting captain employs women..." He trailed off, slumping forward.

"Artie!" Anya cried. Ignoring Souma and the admiral, she stood and crouched down next to her friend. She felt his forehead and gasped; he was burning up! "Can't you people give him a break?" she snapped. "We've been at this for hours, and now he's gotten sick. You have what you want, so let my friends go already!"

"That's where you're mistaken," the admiral said. "You knew the terms of the ransom; Kirkland and the gem for the return of twelve pirates. But we don't have the jewel anymore because of you."

Anya paled, clutching involuntarily at Arthur's limp arm. "B-But I-!"

"If the ransom cannot be paid," Souma cut her off. "I'm afraid you aren't going anywhere, Miss Anya." His dark eyes gleamed in triumph; he had them totally trapped. "And I think I know the real reason you disposed of the gem and betrayed your comrades. You didn't want your dear 'Artie' to get locked up, did you?"

"What are rambling about?" Anya spat. "Of course I didn't want him locked up! The idiot didn't even have the jewel, but he came here anyway." Her eyes flicked back to Arthur. He was almost totally out of it, so it didn't really matter what was said now. "This stupid, honorable, flashy, brave, overconfident guy thought he could make you barbarians see reason, and look at where that got him."

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Souma asked, daring her with his eyes to protest.

_He wants to make me a scapegoat_, Anya realized._ If he can make them think I'm in love with Arthur, he can justify that stupid story with the fact that I was desperately trying to save him._

"And you're a lying, stealing, _totally dead_ piece of-!"

A sword blade was suddenly at her lips, silencing her.

"You never did realize the position you're in, did you?" Souma growled. "Kiku was far too lenient with you. If I so choose, I could run the both of you through right now. You will address the captains as 'sir' or 'captain' unless you want your friend to wake up with a hole in his gut."

Anya couldn't tell who he meant by her friend; it could be either Arthur or Kiku. Neither was a nice thought. "Alright," she grumbled. The sword nicked her bottom lip slightly. "Sir."

"That's much better," Souma relented as he sheathed his sword. "Admiral, I think that's all we'll get tonight. What are your orders?"

"We can't let them stay in the brig," the admiral mused. "We'll let the bilge rats worry about them for a few days. Have some middies double up to open a cabin. Lock them in there. And captain; inform the men that no one is to contact them. This is a dual solitary confinement. Dismissed."

Souma bowed as the admiral exited the bridge. As soon as he was gone, however, he smirked and jerked Anya to her feet. "That was an interesting performance," he sneered. "Honestly, can't you do any better than that?" He tied her wrists quickly in a sailor's knot, leaving a few feet of rope trailing, and sliced the bindings on Arthur's ankles. He pushed the two of them, stumbling, through the door. Arthur was panting, face flushed. His fever was getting much worse, and he could hardly walk. Anya was forced to half drag him along, or he would have fallen on his face.

"I'm not a natural liar, you know," Anya grumbled. "How could you do this, Souma? You set it up so none of us will ever be released!"

"I have to keep tabs on you, don't I?" he whispered. "You're the only one who knows I have the Earth's Heart. I can't have you blabbing to Kiku or the higher-ups."

"Kiku already-!" she started proudly, but shut her mouth. She closed her eyes in despair. When would she learn to keep her big mouth shut?

"Really?" the captain asked, intrigued. "Well, if Kiku knows, I suppose I'll have to get rid of him."

"Don't you dare!" she shouted, wishing dearly that her hands weren't bound so she could deck him right there. "He's got nothing to do with it!"

"Oh, but he does," Souma sang. "But don't worry; as long as you're here, he wouldn't dare cross me. It's a perfect balance! Oh, keep up!" He tugged the makeshift lead harshly, dragging both of them along until they reached the living quarters in the lower deck.

He rapped sharply on the first door they came to. "Open up," he ordered. "Official business." After some soft scrambling, the door opened to reveal the two midshipmen, Mikihisa and Atsushi. The latter was about to address Anya directly, but she shook her head slowly. He took the hint and the two men saluted sleepily.

"Is there something wrong, Captain Souma?" Mikihisa asked politely, making an effort not to glance curiously at the girl he had played for only days ago.

"Take your essentials and go next door," he said bluntly. "These pirates will be using your room as a cell until we return to Japan. I'm giving you sixty seconds starting now." The soldiers looked at each other, shrugged, and spent the next forty-two seconds in a whirlwind.

"We're ready, sir," Dojo panted.

"I'll need your key," the captain drawled. When it was handed over and the musicians had retreated into the next room, he shoved both of his captives into the small but homey cabin.

"Can't you at least untie us?" Anya asked, annoyed. "He has a fever, and I need to be able to take care of him!"

"Neither of you will make it to Japan, anyway," Souma hissed. "I would be worrying less about poor Artie and more about your precious Captain Charming." Without another word, he slammed the door and locked it.

* * *

><p><strong>I feel so bad... I haven't been able to type anything in a while. Don't get me wrong, the ideas keep flowing. Onto <em>paper<em>. Not into a word document. Transcribing it onto the computer takes time, which we haven't had because of EOC's. But we have a lot already typed and ready to go, so don't fret. There won't be delays for a while, but I'm sorry to say that it might not be as constant in the future. Wish us luck and R&R!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Gosh, we almost forgot! With everything going on (band/orchestra concerts) we lost track of the time. So here you go, guys!**

**Also, by the way, we don't own the names Mikihisa Komaki, Hikaru Tezuka, or Atsushi Dojo. They belong to Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa. Fudge yeah, LIBRARY WARS!**

* * *

><p>"Holly...Holly wake upppp...Holly!" Toni eventually yelled at the sleeping teen, startling her. "Toni! What's wrong?" She sat up, reaching blindly for the knife on the table.<p>

"I'm fine, chica. You're coming with me. I don't care what Francis says." He yanked her out of the bed. "Come on, we need to hurry! Grab your boots and let's go! You might have to fight-"

"Fight? I don't know how to fight!" she growled under her breath. She tugged her boots on swiftly and threw her old borrowed shirt on over her tank top, running to the stairs. Toni basically flew down them from being in such a rush. He stopped by the front door of Francis's house and pointed to the moonlit harbor.

"Run to my boat. If they don't let you on, tell them you're Toni's girlfriend. Don't ask questions; just tell them, and they won't ask questions either." He grabbed her and faced them eye to eye. He hugged her tightly, kissed her quickly, and pushed her towards his ship. "Now hurry!" Still half asleep, the blushing teen stumbled down a grassy hill in the direction that Toni had pointed.

It was different; the ship itself, the crew, everything. Strange men ran like ants over the unfamiliar deck of the _Stella Luna. _She ran over to the boat and called up until she caught the attention of a frazzled Spaniard. "Who are you?" he barked. "We're busy, Chiquita! We don't have time for games, so run along to your mama."

Holly's blood boiled at this. She planted her fists on her hips and shouted, "I'm Toni's girlfriend, bastardo! Let me on!" She made use of one of her sister's favorite curse words she had learned from her Spanish texts. The crewmen within earshot stared at her for a second before one of them let a rope ladder down to help her up. She grabbed on and heaved herself up the side of the boat. The young man grasped her hand to pull her up the rest of the way, and Holly noticed with a start that he wasn't Hispanic at all.

"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am," he stuttered with just a trace of a familiar French accent. "W-We didn't know who you were. And when the crew is getting ready to do a raid, we aren't the most pleasant people," he apologized. Holly softened a little. The short blond looked only a bit older than Holly herself; maybe around sixteen or seventeen.

"It's okay," she smiled reassuringly. "I've gotten used to it." She patted his shoulder. "A-and I'm not really his girlfriend. He just told me to tell you guys that so you'd let me on," she smiled softly.

"O-Oh, well I understand completely," the blond sheepishly returned the smile. "By the way, I-I'm Matthew, but you can call me Mattie if you like." He reached out and shook her hand. "I'm Francis' son. Papa didn't want me fighting, but I've been taking care of _Stella _for so long that I can't just let her go into battle without me." He smiled softly as he ran his hands over the rail. "The _Hetalia_ just isn't outfitted for this kind of attack. Now _Stella_, she's beautiful! Finest wood available, and top-notch defenses. She's Captain Antonio's. His little brothers are going to captain her someday. I'm keeping her tidy and seaworthy until that day."

"That's really amazing," Holly breathed. "You've done a great job. But Mattie, do you know what's going on? Toni wouldn't tell me anything."

Matthew motioned for her to sit with him on a couple of crates. "Dad explained to me what's going on if you need to know."

The two sat there for a while, Matthew explaining the whole situation to her. "Wow…They're really going through all of this for Anya and Artie?"

Mattie nodded slowly. "In the original plan, it was just for Anya. But since Mister Arthur went to turn himself in…" he trailed off quietly.

"I get it now." Holly stood up and held a hand out to the other teen. "Come on; let's go get ready. We're going to get them both back!"

"Captain Carriedo!" Every crew member saluted the brunette. He had just boarded the ship, wearing his captain's uniform; the very first thing Holly remembered about the Spanish man.

"Captain Antonio!" Mattie smiled when he saw his dad's friend.

"Hola, Mattie. I trust you've been well?" The boy nodded furiously. "Excellent. Is the good lady ready for travel?"

"Yes sir!" His eyes gleamed with determination and pride. "_Stella _has been waiting for you. She's more than ready."

The captain grinned at the young crewman's enthusiasm. "I knew I could count on you, amigo. Come, Holly. You need to stay close to me." The girl followed him to his office room, stumbling a bit when the boat cast off from the dock. They were on their way to Anya and Arthur.

"Holly, I need you to listen to me seriously for a moment." He sat on his desk, motioning for her to sit with him. She obeyed and sat on the edge, messing with the side of her warm sweatpants. "You can't let your guard down out here. Those men will not show mercy. They might even try to take you hostage too, and I don't want that. Dear God, I don't want that." He winced at the mere thought of her capture.

"I won't Toni. I promise." She smiled reassuringly. They sat there in a comfortable silence for a few moments, until a stampede of footsteps sounded above them. "That's our cue." Holly stood up stiffly, holding her hand out. Toni smiled slightly and took it. He stood above her, staring into her eyes intently. He rested a hand gently on her cheek before leaning in and kissing her lips softly, kissing her cheek, and pulling back.

"I love you, Holly. Please be careful." He smiled before pulling a red ribbon from his coat. He handed it to her and grinned. "You can use this to put your hair up. And to think of me." She smiled and stood on her tip-toes, hugging him tightly around the neck.

"Allons-y, vous etes attendre," Toni led her outside onto the deck. The sky was starting to lighten, and the naval ship was visible within two hundred yards of their current location.

* * *

><p>"Sirs, what is going on?" Hikaru frowned. "It'll be light in a few hours; why did Captain Souma kick you out of your room?" The three soldiers were conspiring on the floor of Hikaru's room. His roommate was still sleeping peacefully.<p>

"He's locked Miss Anya and Captain Kirkland in there," Atsushi whispered. "They're prisoners of war, so why aren't they with the other pirates?"

"It's Rules of War 101," Mikihisa sighed. "Give the enemy their leader, and they have a rallying point. Keeping Miss Anya with him is insurance that he'll behave." They both stared at the middy. "What? I can't think that diabolically?"

"We have to tell Captain Honda," Dojo decided. "There's no way he knows about this."

"But you said they were in solitary confinement," Tezuka gasped. "Sir, we can't just tell people about it!"

"Do you hear yourself, corporal?" he snapped. "You know as well as I do that Miss Anya didn't steal the Earth's Heart. We all saw how much Captain Honda trusts and respects her. No matter what Kirkland has done, you know that that girl is innocent. There is definitely something wrong, and I'm going to make absolutely sure that our captain is informed. Now. Are you coming with me or not?"

* * *

><p>"This isn't right," Kiku said for what felt like the millionth time. "Admiral, I beg you to reconsider!"<p>

"Know your place, Honda," he snapped. "If I let this go, the Admiralty will never let me hear the end of it. I told you not to lose your head over this girl, and now you're displaying almost blatant insubordination! Those pirates will be tried and hanged as soon as we return home."

"This is not how we are supposed to work," Kiku argued. "Our oath is to serve our people and be fair and just. Those pirates only ever did us a service by keeping the wealth in check. They didn't even steal the Earth's Heart!" He gasped, realizing that he had said too much.

"And just why would you say that?" the admiral asked, stunned. "Do you have any basis for this outrageous claim?"

Kiku sighed. Maybe it was time to tell his superior the truth. "I'm sorry, sir. I know that it was Ryu who took the jewel in the first place. When Anya discovered him, he attacked her and framed the theft on Arthur Kirkland."

"You're being ridiculous," the older man snorted. "This whole ordeal has addled your brains. That girl has turned you inside out, and you don't even realize it." He almost looked sorry for Kiku. "You should get some rest, Captain. You've earned it."

"…Hai. Have a peaceful sleep, Admiral." Kiku backed out of the bridge slowly, sighing. He should have known that _that_ wouldn't work. The admiral clearly thought that he had gone insane; he wouldn't even tell Kiku where Anya and Arthur were being kept. He had checked in with the brig himself, purposely not mentioning Arthur's arrival. Javier was already torn up over Anya; he didn't want to give him anything else to worry about. The captain walked sadly back to his room, where he encountered the three musicians. They had almost fallen asleep waiting for him to return. "What are you all doing here?" Kiku asked, confused.

"We're sorry to interrupt you so early, sir," Tezuka saluted. "But we wanted you to know that we don't like what is happening. Miss Anya is a delightful girl, and we stand by the both of you one hundred percent." The others nodded emphatically.

Kiku stared, and then turned away, coughing lightly into his closed fist. "A-Arigatou. You don't know what it means to me to hear you say that. Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"No, sir," Komaki said gravely. "Miss Anya and Captain Kirkland are being held in the last middy cabin on the right on the middle deck. Captain Souma instructed us to bunk with Tezuka and to not tell anyone where they were. With all due respect, Captain, I- _We _don't trust him."

"You're a good man," Kiku stated simply. "I'll check on them right away. Do you have the key to the room?"

"No," Dojo growled. "Captain Souma confiscated it, and we don't have another one." He paused, uncertain. "And sir... If you go out, I wouldn't go unarmed."

"Why?" he asked, shocked. "Did Souma say something strange?"

"Very strange," Komaki agreed. "It went along the lines of, 'You won't make it to Japan. I would worry less about Artie and more about your 'Captain Charming'." He smiled knowingly at these last words. "I take it that Captain Souma has a grudge with you, sir knight. It would be best to watch your back."

"Komaki..." Kiku warned.

"Simply giving my humble opinion," the cheeky man grinned cheerfully. Suddenly, the ship's bell tolled out a warning. Three slow rings; they were under attack.

"I'll bet anything that they're here to rescue the captain," Kiku cursed. "Listen, all three of you. Find as many men in our division as possible and tell them _not _to aim for the kill. Defend yourselves if necessary, but hold back as much as possible."

"Hai!" They saluted and tore out of the room and to the main deck, where word would spread quickly. All of the men directly under Kiku would do as he had ordered. But as Kiku drew up the sums in his head, his feeling of unease grew. His own division was equal to that of the other seven captains on board; one hundred men, give or take. In order to overcome seven hundred fully functional fighting squadrons... Oh, Kami. As Kiku snatched up his sword and ran onto the deck, he prayed that the pirates had brought an entire navy of their own. And as he stepped into the fray, he realized that they might have done just that.

* * *

><p>"Come on! Is that really the best you can do?" A French accented voice mocked the Japanese naval officer in front of him, a smirk playing on his lips.<p>

"What was that?" The Japanese shipman smirked and turned around, his sword teasing his opponent as it managed to barely nick his cheek. "I don't want to hear you scumbag pirates insulting someone of such a high class!" The naval officers had a rough going at the moment. The Germans had attacked from the front; a decoy to distract them long enough for the French to get on the ship.

Behind the naval ship, three figures watched their crew mates dash across the wishes and onto the deck. Two were going in for a search and rescue. The third was praying that they would succeed.

"Holly, please be careful, o-okay?" Matthew gave her a worried look.

"Don't worry, I will. And if I don't get the pleasure of meeting you again…You're a good kid. I'm glad I met you." Holly reached forward and hugged the blond tightly.

He blushed and nodded. "Y-You too. Good luck."

"Come, chica…hurry," Toni practically dragged her across the wishes to the top deck of the ship. She shook her head, a few strands of curly locks having pulled loose from her ponytail. "If you get lost, hide until I find you. Do you understand?" Toni looked her dead in the eyes, looking for an answer.

She nodded quickly, understanding totally. "I will, Toni. I swear."

"Good. Now let's find your sister." They raced down into the inner decks of the ship. Toni stopped two decks down to search, while Holly went right past him, down another level.

"No…nothing here….ugh!" Holly groaned as she opened one door after another, not having a clue as to where her sister, or Arthur, might be. "Maybe she'll be in here…please be in here, Anya…" Holly sighed to herself quietly before opening the large door quickly. She glanced around, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. The shine quickly dulled to disappointment when the room proved to be empty, just as the others had.

"Well, well….Who do we have here?" A voice dripping with authority sounded from behind her. Holly froze dead in her footsteps; it was no good hiding now. She did the one thing Anya had taught her to do in one of these situations; she screamed at the top of her lungs, the shrill noise reverberating throughout the narrow hallways and up the stairs to Toni's ears.

"Not this room…not this one either." The Spanish man growled out loud, not caring who heard, before hearing the piercing shriek echo throughout the passageway. _Holly._ He rushed back the way he had come, throwing himself down the stairs and lower into the ship.

"Ah, so you're the one that Miss Anya spoke so fondly of?" he smirked down at her. The girl had been forced into a crouch with a blade at the back of her neck. "My name is Captain Souma. I'm sorry to say that I didn't believe you were real for a while, but there's no denying that the two of you are identical. So you really came to find your dear sister? Stupid pirates; always thinking you can get away with anything." Holly could hear the contempt dripping from his words. She couldn't imagine Anya even knowing this creep. She strained to listen for the faint sound of the Spaniard's boots, almost sobbing with relief when she finally heard of them. The taller brunette turned a corner and paled instantly when he saw the position Holly was in.

"Hello, Captain Carriedo. Is this one yours?" Souma yanked Holly up by her hair to her knees, the latter whimpering as she struggled to keep her knees from buckling. Souma let his sword brush tantalizingly close to the young girl's neck.

"_Do not let your feelings distract you. They can make you act rashly. One false step and you may never see her again._" The words of advice that Francis had recited to him echoed through his thoughts. Toni had imagined the words as advice for not getting _himself _killed; what was he supposed to do now?

"Please don't hurt her," he said quickly, taking one step forward. The blade nicked Holly's throat, a drop of blood coming from the shallow slice.

"Step back, Carriedo," Souma threatened. "Leave now, and you can go. I promise you that she'll be safe." He pulled her back. "If you try to stop me, I'm afraid you'll force me to do something unpleasant." He chuckled sadistically and yanked Holly back, closer to the stairs on the other end of the hall.

"No, please don't-" Toni started to follow them, but froze where he was. Holly looked at him pleadingly. She was gritting her teeth against her fear and mouthing something at him.

_Find Anya_, Holly mouthed to him before being roughly pushed to where he assumed the descending staircase was. Antonio shook with suppressed fury, but didn't follow. If he had, the silver knife that flew through the air would have impaled itself in his eye. He yelled out, dropping to the floor. The blade bounced harmlessly off of the wall and clattered near his foot. Before Antonio stood, he saw something bright red out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't blood, to his relief. He slowly picked up the red ribbon he had given to Holly on the _Stella Luna_. Using his teeth, he tied the token around his right arm, and swore to himself that he would find Holly, even if it killed him.

* * *

><p>"You've got a visitor," Souma sneered, shoving Holly into the cabin on her knees.<p>

"Ugh...my head..." Holly groaned as she sat up and rubbed her head. The soldier had nearly torn her hair out! The door slammed shut and darkness engulfed the room once again.

"Holly? Oh my God! Holly, is that you?" Anya crawled around in the darkness until she found her sister's figure.

"Sis!" Holly gasped as she pulled Anya forward to hug her.

"I thought I'd never get to see you again," the older girl sobbed. "I'm sorry. I was so awful to you and then you've had to go through all of this."

Holly's eyes teared up as she pulled her sister closer. "Hey, it's alright. Just don't scare me like that again; I freaking missed you!" She smiled as she pulled back. "What? Doesn't your little sis get a hug?"

"Oh yeah, you can't see… I'm tied up," Anya said sheepishly. "Can you untie my hands?"

"Oh, gosh. Sure," Holly picked her way through the simple knot, fumbling in the darkness.

"Thanks," she sighed, rubbing circulation back into her wrists. "But Holly, how are you even here? You should be with Toni, right?"

"I was," she admitted. "Oh, Anya, I met Francis again! He and the red-eyed man are helping us rescue you guys!"

"And how did that work?" the older twin deadpanned.

"Well, the others are doing better than me," Holly defended. "I was stupid and got caught by that creepy captain."

"I hope you're not talking about me," a weary voice spoke from the adjusting darkness. "I was under the impression we were starting to get along." The twins simultaneously stumbled toward Arthur when he groaned slightly in pain.

"Artie!" Holly cried. "God, you look awful. Here, let me get those ropes."

"Bloody hell...Holly, is that you?" Arthur murmured, holding his head.

"Artie, what happened to you?" the younger girl fretted, hovering over Arthur worriedly.

"He has a fever," Anya muttered. "He got sick from the stress and interrogation. I still can't believe he came all the way out here if you guys were coming right behind."

"I think he thought that if he came here, the navy would get complacent and the others could catch them by surprise." The hazel eyed twin pressed the back of her hand against the captain's forehead, gasping at the unbelievable heat. "Anya, we have to get him some medical attention. This is worse than the time we had the flu a few years ago."

"But there's nothing in here!" she growled. "This is just a middy cabin. The doctor is somewhere in the lower decks, so there isn't a medic anywhere close. Holly, do you see any air vents?"

"Umm, yeah. I think there's one over the top bunk." She squinted. "Why do you-? Oh, very funny."

"No," Anya said. "I'm serious. I've read about this in books, and I'm sure it'll actually work."

"What are you going to do?" Holly asked. "You'll just get caught, or worse!"

"I'll get help," she promised. "I have friends here, and I know who has the key to the room. And I have to get the others; Javier, Smith, Valdez, and the rest of the hostages are in the brig." She climbed up onto the bunk bed and removed the grating. "Take care of him as well as you can until I get back. I promise, we're going to get out of here." Anya slipped into the vent and wriggled away.

"Be careful," Holly whispered. "No Artie, don't get up. Here, just lay down…" She lifted his head and gently positioned it in her lap.

"Holly, you don't have to do this..." Arthur sighed as the teen played with his hair, attempting to soothe his migraine.

"I know, Artie. But I don't have any aspirin," she grinned. "And Anya always did this when I got headaches, so I thought it would help."

Arthur smiled at her. "Thanks, love." He bent his head up and kissed her lips softly, pulling back and closing his eyes. She blushed darkly, even if he couldn't see her, and grinned back. "Holly, if we can get out of here, me, you, Anya, and Toni, we can...start a new life...me and you..." He reached back to grasp her smaller hands in his own, lacing their fingers together. "I can give up pirating… There's a map in Toni's office. It's a map to all of the spoils I've collected for myself. If we collect them, we'll be set for life. We can go underground, and no one would ever… bother us… again." His eyes fluttered closed again, slipping into fever-induced slumber.

"That sounds nice," Holly smiled softly. "That sounds really wonderful." She continued to play with her captain's hair, assured that her older sister would make it. She always did.

* * *

><p>Swords clashed wildly as Kiku and a noncommissioned officer swapped blades, the cold sharp metal echoing. Finally, a cutlass hit the cold floor as the Japanese shipman was shoved to the ground. "It's best for you to stay there, unless you want your blood on this floor." Kiku held the blade at the other's pale neck, daring him to move. The young man nodded meekly and slunk further to the ground, allowing his superior to sheathe his sword and continue down the hallway. The black haired teen walked by him quickly.<p>

"Captain Honda?" another voice sounded from behind him. "What kind of mutiny is this?" It was Yuki, one of the other captains. Not answering, Kiku frowned as he turned around to see his next opponent, the latter unsheathing his sword with the chilling rasp of metal on metal.

Kiku quickly unsheathed his own sword as his comrade lunged forward, murder gleaming in his eyes. "You…will….pay…for betraying your crew, Honda!" Yuki punctuated each word with a forceful attack, forcing Kiku back step by step.

"I will never regret standing up for what I believe is right!" Kiku charged forward, implementing a stunning maneuver that literally wrapped the blade of his katana around the hilt of Yuki's. The other captain hissed and dropped his weapon, clutching at his hand.

"Go on, then," he said stoutly. "Kill me, you traitor!"

Kiku raised his sword, took aim… and promptly knocked Yuki unconscious with the broad side of the hilt. "If that is how you view me, friend, then you never knew me at all." He walked away, sheathing his sword but keeping one hand on the hilt. "I will not kill a comrade. That would be true treason." A determined look grew across his face. He smiled and got ready to head down the rest of the length of the hallway. He finally reached the room that his subordinates had designated.

"Hello?" he called, rattling the locked doorknob. "Captain Kirkland? Anya?"

"Wh-Who are you?" a high, tentative voice called out. "Are you one of Toni's men?"

"You aren't Anya," Kiku said brilliantly. A name brushed against his consciousness. "Are you Holly?"

"Y-Yeah," the younger twin answered suspiciously. "Why are you looking for my sister? Are you in the navy?"

"I'm a friend," he promised. "My subordinates told me your sister was here with Captain Kirkland. How did you get in there?"

"That captain," Holly murmured, so softly that Kiku had to strain to hear her through the door. "I think he said his name was Souma. He caught me and threw me in here with Anya and Arthur."

"Isn't Anya in there with you?"

"No," she answered hesitantly. "She- well, I'm pretty sure that she-"

A creaking sound came from the old, faulty air ducts above Kiku's head, cutting the younger twin off. He glanced up just in time for a familiar friend to burst through the ceiling, flailing as she fell. Kiku cried out and caught Anya in his arms, the force sending them both to ground in a tangled heap.

"_Ow_," Anya grimaced. "What did I…?" She rubbed her head and opened her eyes to find herself staring straight into Kiku's. "What the-? Oh my gosh, Kiku! Are you alright?" The two awkwardly untangled themselves.

"I'm okay," he grimaced. "What were you thinking, crawling into air vents? Which gag manga did you get_ that_ from?"

"It was a mystery novel," she grumbled, blushing. "And it got me out, didn't it?" She turned back to the door, placing her hand lightly against the metal. "Holly, I'm going to set the others loose. I'll come back for you, okay?"

"Okay," Holly agreed. "Just hurry. I think Artie's getting worse. Hey, mister navy guy?"

"Um, yes?" Kiku said uncertainly. "What is it?"

"Please take care of my sister," the younger twin said seriously. "If you're really her friend."

"Holly, cut it out!" Anya yelped. "Will you help me, Kiku? I need to get the hostages out, and I don't have a key. Any suggestions?"

"Follow me," he said simply before taking off down the corridor toward the bridge. Anya followed close behind, wary of losing her way. "The admiral keeps the key in the top right drawer of his desk, and there isn't anyone in there at the moment; they're all fighting."

"Then why are you here helping me?" Anya panted. "Isn't this what they would call treason?"

"I don't care," he answered vehemently. "I don't like the way things are going right now; they just aren't right. Even if you did throw the gem into the sea, which was very foolish, by the way."

"But I didn't," she said, surprised. "Kiku, it was just a rock! Souma stole the real jewel and was going to pretend to catch me with it. He- He wasn't lying when he said that I was working with him." A slight pause as they turned a corner. "But I had no choice!"

"Why not?" Kiku demanded, suddenly stopping short. "Why would you jeopardize yourself and everyone you care about?" It had been bugging him ever since Arthur had turned himself in. He hadn't had the chance to ask her after the matter because the admiral had forbidden Kiku to join the interrogation. But now he refused to move one more step until he knew the truth.

"I- When you say it like that-!" Anya spluttered. "He threatened to kill someone!"

"I wouldn't have let him do that," he argued. "You didn't have to fear for the hostages' lives. They were set to be tried in Japan! You aren't dumb, Anya, and you promised me an explanation. What possessed you?"

"He didn't threaten the crew," she whispered, tears beading in her eyes. "Think on _that _for a while, baka." And she brushed past him in the direction they had been running, leaving him staring into space.

"Oblivious," Anya muttered. "Completely barking oblivious." She was finally in a part of the ship she recognized. She reached the bridge and was relieved to find it unlocked. She would have died from mortification if she had been forced to go back to Kiku for help. Her cheeks warmed at the implications she might have left, but that wasn't important now; she had to get that key. Just as Kiku had said, there was a large desk in the corner. Anya tore the top right drawer open, but found only papers and a few bullet shells.

Anya suddenly remembered the trick drawer in Toni's office. Reaching into the drawer, she felt around until something clicked. A false back peeled away from the edge. The large brass key fell into her palm. "Bingo~"

"You're more resourceful than I thought." The angry voice startled Anya, who shrieked and whirled to see the admiral standing only a few feet away. "I can't believe you came here, abandoning your own captain. Isn't loyalty to one's captain the pirate's creed?"

"A-And what of your loyalties?" she stalled, backing away slowly. "Why aren't you fighting with your men?"

"I am a strategist, young lady. I have not seen a true battle for many years."

"So you're really a coward," Anya accused. "You hide behind a position of power that you don't deserve, and sit back while younger men risk their lives under your orders!"

"Ryu was right. You have become most troublesome." The admiral lifted his pistol from his belt, aiming it between the girl's eyes. A shadow flickered in the doorway behind the old man as he pulled the trigger. Anya screamed and ducked.

_BANG_

The admiral thumped to the floor, revealing a panting figure standing in the doorway. "K-Kiku!" Anya gasped. She forced her wobbly legs to stand. Kiku rushed to her side and started to propel her to the door.

"You need to get to the brig and get the others out," he ordered calmly. "When you're done, find either me or your captains. I'll confront Ryu about the key to your sister and Captain Kirkland. My men can't pretend to fight for much longer."

"Pretend?" Anya frowned. "You mean the navy isn't really fighting?"

"_My _men aren't," he said grudgingly. "There are several hundred others who are braying for blood. The sooner you and your friends get out, the better." As he explained himself, even Kiku was shocked by the complete and total chaos that he had caused; not only attacking his superior, but putting into action what some would call sabotage. All for the sake of this girl.

Anya hesitated at the door, peering down at the admiral. "I-Is he-?"

"I would not kill a man in cold blood," Kiku assured her. He paused, looking her up and down. "He did not hit you, did he?"

"No," she shook her head. "You got here just in time."

"I shouldn't have let you go ahead in the first place," he growled. "I'm sorry; I was being foolish and angry. But I thought about what you said." He averted his eyes suddenly, blush dusting his pale face. "I am honored by your friendship, Anya. Thank you for looking after me."

"N-No problem," she answered. The girl's eyes were sad, and Kiku could only guess why. "Thank you, Kiku. F-For everything." She stood up lightly on her toes and pecked his cheek, blushing. "If I don't see you again, just- just know that I wish things were different."

_Friendship. _With that one word echoing through her mind and slowly crushing her heart into rubble, Anya turned away with a heavy heart, racing out of the room. Kiku watched her go, confusion reigning over his consciousness. He was happy that she and her friends would soon go free, but sad to see her running away from him.

Kiku Honda was not stupid. He could be socially awkward and a bit oblivious when it came to such matters, but never stupid. When he realized how much he was willing to risk for this remarkably curious girl, and how much she had risked for him, he felt his chest tighten and his pulse race. Touching a hand to the side of his face, Kiku shook himself out of his stupor and began his search for Captain Souma, a new realization nestling in a warm place inside his chest.

* * *

><p>Anya fumbled with the heavy key at the door to the brig. "Javier, it's me. The captains have come for us. I need you to take everyone and get out <em>now<em>." She finally turned the tumblers and the door swung open. The hulking Spaniard instantly tackled her in a crushing hug, knocking the air out of her.

"Where were you?" he asked all in a rush. "Do you know how worried we were? And now there's a _battle _going on! You could have _died! _I swear, if I wasn't-!"

"Can't-breathe!" Anya gasped, turning blue in the face. Javier loosened his grip, but didn't let go. He held Anya close, as if he was afraid she would disappear. "Listen, you have to go! I'll get Holly and Arthur, so if you see Antonio, tell him that-"

"Smith can tell him," Javier decided. He turned to the other deputy. "Get the others out, amigo. No fighting unless you have to. I'm going with Anya to get the captain and Holly." The other saluted and led the other nine hostages up into the fray.

"No," she said irritably. "I'll be fine. Kiku's getting the key, so he'll keep me safe."

"The officer who threw you in here?" he shouted. "Have you lost your mind?"

"He's a friend!" Anya insisted. "That thing before was just acting; he didn't really hurt me, I promise. If you all knew that he was really helping us, the other officers would have noticed. So we made it look like he was our enemy. He never betrayed me, Javier. Kiku is fighting against his own navy right now to help us escape, so we need to get out as soon as possible. Go and catch up with the others."

"I'm coming with you," he argued. "You can't force me to obey your orders, chiquita. I'll just follow you anyway, so let's find this supposedly good captain of yours and save your sister."

"Fine," she relented, frowning. "Any idea where Kiku might be? He would have to find Souma, so if we could figure out where he is…" She stopped, gasping. "Javier, we need to find them. _Now. _Souma threatened to kill him before! He won't last long on his own!"

"Highest point," he said immediately, walking toward the door to the deck. The battle was still going strong. "These two seem to be the puppet masters of this whole ordeal. They'll be where the fighting is less intense to fight mano y mano. There." He pointed around the doorframe, and Anya could barely make out two lightning-quick figures grappling on the raised portion of the rear deck.

"That's great," Anya breathed. "Javier, how did you know they'd be there?"

"It's the sailor's code of honor," he shrugged. "Leaders and such like to fight in a dignified, traditional manner. The Japanese are especially steadfast in their loyalties; it's why I don't really believe that your friend has so easily betrayed his country."

"Never mind that," she snapped. "How do we get up there? We'll be killed without weapons."

Javier put a finger to his lips and took four small steps outside. He was instantly rushed by a naval soldier. With a quick sidestep and an elbow jab to the back of the head, Javier was now in possession of a weighty cutlass. "Just stay close, cariño. I'll cover you."

* * *

><p>"This is treason, Kiku," Souma growled. The two captains' blades met again and again in a clash of steel.<p>

"You are the traitor!" Kiku shot back. "You stole the Earth's Heart and put innocent lives in danger." Another close call and he is knocked back half a step. "You don't deserve your heritage!"

"I'm standing up for my heritage!" Ryu Souma now sounded more than a little insane. "That cretin stole from my family, and all of the families close to mine. He should be hanged for his crimes!" He surged forward, knocking Kiku's katana across the floor. He jumped clear of Souma's next attack, but found himself backed against the rail.

"The battle is already lost," Kiku said calmly. "Even if I die, the hostages are already free. Kirkland is boarding his ship as we speak."

"You're lying," Souma said offhandedly. He brought the tip of his sword up to rest on the bridge of the revolutionary's nose. "Why would you come after me, if not for the key to the little princess?"

"She's out, too," he answered truthfully, refusing to go cross-eyed. "Anya is more resourceful than you ever realized."

A sudden intake of breath had both captains staring at a spot on the stairs to the upper deck. A lone figure stood there, horrified, with a trembling hand over her mouth. "Ah, just in time," Souma smirked, hiding his surprise. And grudging respect. "The princess came to save prince charming. How quaint."

"Run." It wasn't a request. "Anya, get away from here and get to your captains," Kiku ordered. The girl shook her head wordlessly, unable to tear her gaze from the sword between her friend's eyes.

"You were right, Kiku," Ryu snorted. "Resourceful, indeed. Come on over here, princess. Or I'll cut his eye out." She automatically lurched forward, Kiku's protests falling on deaf ears. She halted just out of Souma's reach, terrified to come any closer. Kiku was confused. Anya had never shown such fear toward any of the officers, least of all Souma. She thought that Ryu was scum.

"Not so tough anymore, are you?" Ryu taunted her. "And you were so brave before, standing up even to the admiral. Don't you have anything to say, Miss Anya?" The girl's gaze flicked fleetingly to Souma before locking back on Kiku, the early rays of dawn catching her frightened eyes with a reddish hazel glow.

"I-I don't..." she said shakily. Kiku's own eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. The situation had just gotten far more delicate.

"You don't what?" Souma asked, frowning. Turning more of his attention to the stuttering twin, he accidentally lowered his sword arm by a fraction. It was enough. Kiku ducked and swept Souma's legs out from under him. The captain stumbled back, wind milling his arms for balance. Kiku lunged forward, tackling the petrified girl around the waist to get them away. Only half recovered, Ryu swung wildly, landing a messy hit across Kiku's shoulder.

"Kiku!" a familiar voice screamed. "Holly, watch out!" Javier barreled onto the deck with his cutlass. In ten seconds flat, Souma was face down on the ground and Kiku was at the receiving end of Javier's sword.

"Don't kill him!" Anya cried, running up the steps.

Ryu looked up, shocked. "Resourceful, indeed," he muttered dazedly. "I forgot. You're twins..."

"Javier, please don't hurt him," Anya begged.

"He attacked Holly," the Spaniard growled, nudging the younger man's chin up with his blade. "Boy, I suggest you let go of her this instant." Kiku immediately complied, releasing the girl he had tackled. Instead of scurrying away, as almost everyone had expected, Holly stayed next to Kiku, ignoring Javier completely.

She looked at him worriedly. "You're the one who talked to me before, aren't you?" A nearly imperceptible nod. "Oh, gosh. You're hurt..." She winced at the sight of blood on the captain's usually pristine uniform. "Put that away, Javier," she whispered. "This is Anya's friend. He saved me." Javier reluctantly lowered the sword, and Anya rushed forward.

"Oh my goodness," she breathed, falling to her knees and hugging him tightly. She even drew Holly into the embrace, just for the heck of it. "You're both idiots!" she choked around imminent tears. "What made you think you could fight him alone, baka? He threatened to kill you, in case you forgot!"

"Look who's talking. I guess we're both just extremely stubborn," Kiku grimaced. "Anya, if you don't mind... My shoulder."

"G-Gomen," she squeaked, instantly pushing herself away. "Here, I'll fix that up... You aren't overly fond of that jacket, are you?"

"It'll be okay," Kiku assured her. "It's a very shallow cut." He turned momentarily to Holly. "How did you get out? Is Captain Kirkland with you?"

"Anya was taking so long," Holly said ashamedly. "Artie's fever broke, but he was still too weak to climb the vents. I was going to go get some help and I found this guy and Captain Souma. He-He thought I was you, sis."

"Souma had me cornered," Kiku mumbled. "He tried to use each of us as a sort of hostage for the other, assuming that she was you. When I realized that she wasn't you, I panicked and did what I could to remove her from danger." He tried to stand, and the twins helped him up. The captain bowed stiffly to Javier. "I apologize for worrying you over these girls. I promised you that I would do my best to protect them."

"Yeah," Javier grumbled. "Sorry for... Trying to kill you, I guess. We even, hermano?"

"Brother," Anya whispered helpfully.

"Even," Kiku agreed, shaking the other man's hand firmly. "Hermano."

"So Souma," Anya barked, stalking over to the half-conscious traitor. "Are you going to give us the key, or can I just throw you overboard myself?"

"Confident, arrogant, and rude," he chuckled. "That's definitely Anya." He reached into a pocket on his military jacket and offered up the tiny key to the middy cabin. "Well, here you go. I know when I'm beaten." The older twin hesitated, wary of the ease in the matter. She slowly held out her hand, tensed to pull it back at the first sign of danger. To her astonishment, Ryu simply dropped the cool piece of metal into her waiting palm. Anya backed away quickly. Gripping Kiku's hand tightly, Anya led the others back down into the ship.

Javier was the last to go through the door, checking to make sure that Souma wasn't following them. The defeated navy man hadn't moved from his spot; he was in his own separate world away from the battle. He felt Javier's gaze and grinned a maniacal smile, saluting as he laughed insanely. The Spaniard shuddered and closed the door, barring it behind them. Perhaps he shouldn't have hit the man in the head so hard.

* * *

><p><strong>Dang, what is <em>up <em>with Javier all of a sudden? He went totally badass! I am loving this guy^^ (No, not like _that_, he's like, forty. Ew.) Well, who knew? He started off as such a minor character... Christina thought up his name in about 3.3 seconds just because it sounded Spanish! And since my other half is Canada, I had a lot of fun giving Mattie a hobby. (In case you were wondering, Christina's other half is France XD) Please, review for us~ It makes our day.**


	8. Chapter 8

**You know the drill; we don't own it!**

* * *

><p>"Come on," Kiku ushered, waving for the others to follow him. He kept a firm hold on Anya's hand and ran ahead, with Holly and Arthur following closely behind. Holly had an arm around the blonde's waist to make sure he didn't trip or fall.<p>

"Holly, I'm fine," Arthur insisted. His strength was slowly returning after a small rest, and he had been ready to go the instant that the others had arrived to break him out. "Really, you can let go." He smiled at her, removing the girl's arm and nudging her further forward.

"Holly, hurry it up! They're going to catch us!" Anya yelled at her sister, giving her a desperate look. The brunette and blond ran quickly, catching up in two seconds flat before arriving in a narrow antechamber lined with chairs. There were loud, running footsteps behind them, but the five of them were exhausted. They simply had to rest.

"We have to stop for a second, Anya," Kiku panted. "Just for a few minutes. We can't get away if we're tired and they catch up." The purple eyed girl nodded and sat down on the floor, and was shortly joined by a red faced, out of breath Holly. Javier put a chair under the doorknob to block it and give them warning if anyone tried to enter.

"I haven't run this much since the physical run at school last year," the younger twin panted. "How are we going to get out of here?"

"There's another hallway through there," Kiku pointed. "It lets out right at the stern."

"That's where _Stella _is," Holly nodded. "We can go straight on board!"

A sudden series of thuds came from the door behind them as they all leaped up in horror. "Anya," Javier whispered. "Take your sister and hide." She nodded and dragged Holly halfway into the next corridor, but didn't leave entirely. The girls watched anxiously as the others slowly drew their weapons. The wooden door splintered as the naval officers kicked the barrier down. There had to be at least twenty soldiers, and they were all armed. The outlook for them wasn't looking too good right now.

The swords of every soldier went up in perfect unison as they circled the small group. They instantly went in for the kill, charging the trio. The pirates and the rogue officer blocked the attack boldly, holding their own as they beat the navy men back. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Holly saw a shadow flicker near their hiding place. A middy was trying to sneak around the fighting to get the jump on Arthur and the others!

"Anya," she hissed, pointing. She saw her sister's eyes widen. Anya nodded to show that she understood and took a deep breath. Easing out of the small crevice, she gripped one of the wooden chairs tightly. It was a little too heavy for her to lift, but with Holly's help it was a simple matter. On an unspoken count, the girls heaved the chair at the lone attacker's head. The man crumpled to the ground without a word.

"Yes!" Holly cheered. The remaining attackers' eyes immediately flicked up to hers. The distraction, while crude and dangerous, was enough to throw the navy off their game. Javier easily took out two more before they had collected themselves.

When they regrouped, half of the remaining dozen or so soldiers kept the men occupied while the other half went after the girls. Anya grabbed Holly and tried to spirit them to safety, but their way was blocked by two sharpened blades. Holly could hear the attackers muttering to each other, unsure.

_What should we do? We could use them against the others…_

_No, they'll be dead in a minute anyway. Kill them; they're too much trouble._

Decided, the front most officer advanced on Holly. Anya growled and stood in his path. "Over my dead body, _bastardo_."

"Back away, girl," he barked at Anya as he knocked her to the ground, eliciting a loud yelp that echoed through the hall.

"Anya!" Javier growled. He couldn't break loose from his opponent!

"Go," Kiku panted. "I will take care of this." He dispatched his own opponent before turning to help Javier. Sending silent thanks to the teen, Javier turned on his heel and rushed the officers surrounding the girls.

In the pandemonium, Holly and Anya slipped out of the circle right under the soldiers' feet. They watched in awe as their friend fought like a man possessed, slashing left and right. Yet he never aimed to kill; he would disable a leg or an arm, or knock someone out. But he never fatally wounded a single man. This went on for some time, eventually ending with all twenty officers on the ground, passed out.

"Nice work," Arthur said, a little anticlimactically.

"Nice?" Holly repeated, eyes shining. "That- that was amazing!" She laughed and threw herself at the Spaniard in a hug. "Javier, thank you!"

"Are you alright?" he murmured, dropping the cutlass and hugging the girl back. "Did they hurt you, Hollybells?"

"We're fi- Wait." Holly pulled back, frowning in confusion. "How did you know about that?"

"A-About what, cariño?" Javier stuttered, looking panicked. He looked at her, and then Anya. "Are you sure that neither of you is hurt?"

"Javier," the girls whined in unison.

"What the devil is wrong with a nickname?" Arthur grumbled, scratching his head. "I thought it was rather cute, actually."

"You're not the only one," Anya said slowly. "Pa- I mean, our father thought it was adorable, too."

"He made up that name for me on Christmas," the younger twin smiled, remembering. "I tied a whole string of little bells around my head and ran around the house with Anya. She was an elf," she added.

"Papá was the only one who ever called her that," Anya went on, shooting her sister a _look_. "And no one could _ever _get away with calling her that-"

"Except papá," Holly finished, looking at Javier with wide eyes.

He sighed, placing a hand on each of the twins' shoulders. In spite of his recent display of strength, he looked older than either girl had ever seen him. "Listen, girls-"

A gunshot rang through the small chamber, and Javier fell to his knees with a groan.

"Javier!" Holly screamed, kneeling next to him. Anya searched the room wildly until she spotted him; the man that she and Holly had knocked out with the chair. Apparently, they hadn't thrown it hard enough. He sat there on the floor with glazed eyes, a smoking pistol still grasped in his fingers. Kiku instantly descended on him, slamming the man's head against the ground.

"Anya…Holly…both of you, come here," Javier smiled sadly.

"Papá?" Anya whimpered. Holly could hear the stark emotion in her sister's voice. "Papá, what-?"

"Both of you…have grown up so much." He groaned a bit in pain. "I'm not going to make it, we all know that," Javier chuckled lightly and smiled at the two. "But I want you to know that I love you both so much. My special, brave, wonderful hijas. Elena- Your mamá would be so proud to see how you've grown."

"No." Holly's voice was little more than a whisper, drowned out by her tears. "Papá, we can't lose you again!"

"You've made it this far without me," he insisted. "And- And I'm so sorry for that. But you are strong, beautiful young women. Meet someone special, and make your lives worth living. You never know when it can be taken from you," he sighed. "You never know when it might be the last time you see the last of your family." His clouding eyes found Arthur. "Captain Kirkland… When you see Captain Carriedo, please… Can you tell him that Luciano gives him his most heartfelt apologies for lying to him for all this time?"

"Cómo no, hermano," Arthur said gravely, clasping his hand. "I promise."

"And… Kiku, was it?" Hazel eyes locked on the young captain's face.

"Hai?"

The twins' father smirked and, with the last of his energy, grabbed Kiku by the collar. "Put one finger on my daughter, hermano, and I will haunt you for the rest of your life."

"You will not have long to wait," he swore. "The day I hurt her is the day I take my own life."

"Smart… Capitan." On that note, Luciano took his last breath and closed his eyes. His chest stopped rising and lowering; he died there in front of the four, the only witnesses of his final words and breaths.

"Oh my God…Oh my God. Anya, he's… Oh my God…" Anya teared up and held her sisters hand. Holly tried to hold the tears back before falling forward and resting her head on her father's chest, sobbing and balling her hands up into fists. Anya looked away, burying her face in the soft white fabric of Kiku's uniform. He wrapped a comforting arm around her frame as she hugged him tightly, the tears spilling over onto her cheeks. Arthur rubbed circles into Holly's back as she sobbed and lightly pounded the dead man's chest with her fist.

"Why?" she choked out. "We just found you, and now you're going to leave us here? It isn't fair!" A gentle hand on her elbow snapped her out of her grief stricken state. Arthur said nothing, but held Holly close to him until she pushed back, wiping her eyes.

"We have to keep moving," she said, her voice hollow. "If more catch up, they'll kill all of us."

"Are you sure you can-?"

"I'm fine," Holly snapped. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to get back to the ship. He asked us to do one thing for him, and I'm not going to stop without doing it." She stood, accepting Arthur's help, before pulling Anya to her feet. "Come on, sis. We've got to get home."

"There are others coming," Kiku said softly. "We can't use that hallway anymore."

"But _Stella_ was there," Holly frowned. "If there are navy guys out there…"

"Then the ship either moved or the battle is over up there," Arthur finished. "Come on; we need to get as low in the ship as we can. It seems we have no other choice." His tone left no room for argument. Forcing back tears, the twins nodded and left their father behind and followed the other two out of the antechamber.

Kiku led the group, seeing as how he was the only one who knew his way around the entire area of the large vessel. Anya followed close to his side, walking close enough that their arms would occasionally brush against each other. She was talking to the black haired boy quietly, too quietly for Holly to hear, but loudly enough for the younger twin to tell that the tears were receding. The hazel eyed girl smiled at her sister's back. It was surprising to see her truly smiling and being with someone who made her happy. It had been too long since she had seen that side of her sister. Anya moved closer to Kiku and finally interlocked their fingers, a shy smile forming on her face that mirrored her twin's.

Meanwhile, Arthur fiddled with the pockets in his wrinkled clothes, pulling out a few things here and there, and putting the objects into a pouch that he had on a belt wrapped around his waist. The blond sighed, finally getting the trinkets he needed together and placing the bag on his waist once again.

When Holly gave him a wondering look, he simply smiled and ruffled her hair fondly. "It's all we'll need to get out...we'll be just fine." She nodded and kept walking forward. A large, warm hand grasped hers and gently interlaced their fingers. Holly didn't look at him, but smiled softly and squeezed back.

* * *

><p>"Smith!" Antonio's voice filled the now empty bridge. Smith was crouched next to the fallen admiral, checking for signs of life. He stood and grinned when he saw his joint captain.<p>

"Captain Carriedo, sir!" He saluted him and clapped him on the back. "This is the man in charge. He's out cold, and it looks like a blow from behind. Someone caught him off guard. I assume you had everything under control as always. Javier went with Anya to find Captain Kirkland. Have you seen them?"

The Spaniard shook his head slowly, taking in all of the information he had just received. "Of course I had it…under control." He paused, wincing and remembering the other brunette who had been taken away from him.

"Are you okay, captain? You look pale." Smith looked at him in concern when his face blanched slightly.

"N-No, I'm fine… Holly was taken hostage, a-and I haven't been able to find her…" The color returned to his face as a slight dust of pink filled his cheeks.

"Ah-hah! I see," Smith grinned knowingly. "Why, you're in love with her, aren't you!" He patted his friend on the back.

Antonio sighed, a bit annoyed as he nodded only to some degree. "Yes, Smith. If it makes you shut up for two seconds, then yes."

The Englishman smirked playfully. "They're somewhere deeper in the ship, where Javier said he was headed. If I know Jav and Anya, they've found Holly by now. So go get her, amigo!" He pushed him off in the direction that he had motioned in, the brunette stumbling and running off to find Holly.

* * *

><p>"We'll be safe in here," Kiku sighed. "This is the lowest point in the ship. No one ever comes here, even in wartime." He pulled at the large metal door, grunting at the weight. Anya jumped forward to help, and between the two of them they forced the old door open. They ushered everyone into the conference shelter. Kiku shoved the door closed behind him, leaving it open just a crack so they could hear anyone approaching. He turned and rejoined Anya as she and Holly watched Arthur, a confused look gracing both twin's features as the pirate started to draw a large circle on the ground.<p>

"Artie, what are you-?"

The blond was muttering words here and there as the chalk drawing on the floor started to glow bright colors in every color of the rainbow, swirls of colors snaking around all of them. A light breeze started up, although they were indoors. Arthur finally stood up and smiled at them, wiping the chalk dust off of his hands and onto his slacks. "This is all that needs to be done for now. We can take a break for a while before the ritual has to be performed."

The other three looked at him in worry. "Holly, didn't you say his fever had broken?" Anya hissed.

"I'm perfectly sane, love," Arthur assured. "You think I got to be one of the youngest pirate captains of the century with my people skills? I'm renowned in certain circles for my gift with magic."

"Yeah, he's insane," Anya decided. "Arthur, magic isn't real; I've read enough fantasy to know at least that."

"I promise, this is the real thing. You can see it for yourself, can't you?" He gestured to the swirling colors on the floor. "This is a spell I was told never to use, unless it was absolutely necessary."

"What are you trying to do?" Kiku asked anxiously. "This sounds dangerous."

"He's right," Anya said quickly. "I'm not going to sit here while you do some strange hocus pocus unless I know what's going on."

"I need everyone's approval before I can continue," Arthur admitted. "It's a transport spell of sorts. We aren't safe here, correct?"

"What was your first clue?" the elder twin grumbled. Kiku put an arm around her shoulder, and she stopped to listen.

"We won't be able to leave here completely unscathed," the captain continued bleakly. "One or more of us could die, and I don't think I could live with myself if…" He glanced at Holly before looking at the floor again. "I don't want any of us to be separated, and I want us to be safe."

"So this'll get us back to the _Hetalia_?" Holly chirped. "Why didn't you say so before?"

"Not… Exactly." Arthur finally met Holly's eyes and took her hands in his. "Love, this spell _will _take us to a safe place, but it won't be on the _Hetalia, _or anywhere else you've ever been. Even if we make it out of here, we won't be able to live in peace. And- And I want us to be together!"

"Um, that's my _little sister _you're practically proposing to," Anya growled. "Either get a hold of yourself or tell us where we're going." She leaned into Kiku, ready for anything. The older boy chuckled, holding her closer.

"It isn't even a matter of _where_," Arthur said. "It's mostly the matter of _when _we'll be going. The spell will take us to a time in the future when we'll be safe to all be together." He raised an eyebrow at the couple. "I see you've made quite a good _friend_ in Mister Honda, here."

"And what if I have?" she countered, shocking Kiku by wrapping her arm around his back.

"And I assume you share her feelings, Captain?" Arthur prompted.

"Y-Yes," he blushed. He didn't have to look at Anya to see the small, blissful smile on her lips. "I won't be able to live here any longer, in any case. My people will view me as a traitor. I want to be with Anya."

"Kiku…" Anya breathed. "Y-You said I was just your friend. You can't really mean that."

"What do you mean?" he asked, frowning.

"_'I am honored by your friendship'_?" she recited, face downcast.

"Aw," Holly crooned unconsciously.

"Not now, love," Arthur hushed. "This is important if we want this spell to work."

"I was trying not to be forward," Kiku groaned. "What would you have done if I had just come out and told you that I'm in love with you in the middle of a battle? You would have either smacked me for being insolent or run for your life."

"…You're in love with me?" she grinned teasingly. Kiku blushed and nodded. "Alright, Artie," she sighed. "So it's just _fwoo_ and then we're in the future? As if we've always been there?"

"Yes," he said, relieved that Anya was playing along. If she had refused, it would have been impossible to convince Holly to go through with it. "We'll be in a safer place, and it is guaranteed that we will find each other."

"Wait; we won't be together once we're there?" Kiku asked, tightening his arm around Anya.

"I'm sorry, but that's how it will be," Arthur nodded. "We won't remember that any of this has happened, but we can be safe and be together."

"We won't remember?" Holly repeated, panicked. "You mean I won't remember Anya? You said this would help us!" She plopped down on the floor in exhaustion. "What's the point of doing this if we can't see each other again? You said you wouldn't separate us!" She looked up at Arthur with fire in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Arthur. If that's how this spell works, then I won't have any part of it."

* * *

><p>Toni rushed down hall after hall, eventually pausing in the middle of a larger room. There were signs of a large scuffle; overturned chairs and blood splattering the floor. Javier lay on the floor, dead. The brunette gasped and ran over, shaking the crew member's body when he fell to his knees next to him. "Javier! God, Javier, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean for this to happen!" Toni teared up slightly and bowed his head for a moment to commemorate the best deputy he had ever seen. Javier had been a prisoner on another ship, but when the <em>Hetalia<em> had conquered it, he had pledged loyalty to Antonio. "But you didn't die in vain. Rest in peace, mi amigo. I'll make sure you're avenged." He stood up shakily and ran across the rest of the way to where the door the previous group had exited through.

He ran until he had to stop for a break, panting heavily with his hands on his knees. A slight breeze of wind blew by him, comforting him. Wait; he was on the bottom floor of a naval vessel. There's no way there should be any wind. He gazed up, seeing a few stray strands of the rainbow ribbons of magic having snuck their way out into the hallway. He gasped and picked the pace back up; Arthur had showed him small magic tricks before and told him the basics. For there to be this much magic visible in the air, this was a _huge _deal. Toni kept running, following the trails of light. He had to find them before they did something drastic.

* * *

><p>"It's not like that!" Arthur insisted, crouching in front of the grumpy twin. "You'll be with Anya, I promise! Basically, history should repeat itself. There will just be a much more favorable outcome than… this."<p>

"But we'll be different people," Holly sobbed. "I don't want to forget everything. Our memories and experiences define at least half of our character, right? I won't be me, and you won't be you!"

"You will," he declared, taking her chin in his hand. "You will still be the beautiful, curious, spirited young woman I fell in love with. The memories of those of us within this circle will awaken slowly, but when I find you, we'll remember everything. But until then, you'll be able to grow up peacefully, as a normal child."

"So will mamá and papá be there, too?" Anya questioned. "What happens to everyone else when we're in the future?"

"Those closest to us will be there, too!" Arthur exclaimed. "Unfortunately, they most likely won't regain their memories of this time. And I'm sorry to say that I can't change the fact that you two will be orphaned, but…" He trailed off, thinking.

"But what?" Holly asked tearfully.

"N-Nothing," he stuttered. "We just have to be quick; we don't have much time to set the spell into motion." Arthur turned to her, taking her hand and bringing them to their feet. "Holly, love, this is the last chance we have to back out. Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

The brunette stood there, stunned. He was looking at her with such an expression of _love _and _hope_. "Of course I am, Artie," she smiled up at him shyly.

"Oh, gag!" Anya laughed slightly at her little sister. "Stop acting so childishly, Holly! You know you love him." The twin intertwined hers and Kiku's fingers once again; everything felt so _right_. The captain wrapped his arm around the girl's waist. He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her curly locks softly, in a loving way. "Oh, don't you start that, too!" she laughed. Drawing courage from Kiku's steady arm, she looked Arthur in the eyes and stepped into the chalk circle to join him and Holly. "Artie, we're ready now."

Arthur smiled and turned to finish the spell, his hands glowing slightly as he started reciting a list of words that neither Holly, Kiku, nor Anya understood. **"Traiceret quattuor nobis alicubi tutum in futurum."** The swirls became more prominent, the colors growing more vibrant as they started to surround the small group more tightly. The mysterious wind from before strengthened into a hurricane that battered the quartet, their hair and clothes flapping wildly. "We have thirty seconds," Arthur yelled over the torrent. "After that, we'll be sent to the future, and we won't be able to return."

* * *

><p>Toni finally reached the door and stood close to it, trying to hear the conversations happening in it. The ribbons looped around him, as if trying to relax him in a way. <em>"Stop acting so childish, Holly! You know you love him."<em> Toni sighed slightly when he heard the older twin's playful voice; he could just see Holly blushing embarrassedly and mumbling to herself. The Spanish man smiled slightly to himself._ "Of course I am, Artie. I…I love you." _

Toni's heart sank as he heard the words spill from Holly's mouth. "Holly..." he mumbled to himself as a tear ran down his cheek, hitting the floor with an inaudible sound. He backed up and tried to hit the large door down with his shoulder, barely managing to move the door half an inch. He went at this for a while, until the door had budged enough that he could shove it the rest of the way open.

"Twenty seconds." Arthur looked at his pocket watch before pulling the brunette closer to him, wrapping his arms around the smaller frame. He leaned down and kissed her one last time. "I love you, Holly. And Anya?" He turned to her sister. "Do you approve? And allow me to be with your sister?" Arthur grinned goofily as he wrapped his arm around Holly.

"Dear Lord, Arthur," she sighed. "I would have approved of you as long as you treated her with respect." She left Kiku's grasp for a moment to walk across the circle and poke the pirate's chest to emphasize her words. "Which means if you do anything that hurts her in any way, I will personally punch you in the face so hard your kids will feel it."

Arthur smiled. "I promise to respect her, Anya. Don't worry."

Toni shoved the door open, flinching at the bright light and fierce wind emitted by the circle. "Holly! Artie!" he yelled, attempting to get their attention. Holly glanced up, thinking she heard something. That sounded a lot like-

"Five, four, three-"

"Antonio!" she screamed through the wind, seeing the Spaniard running towards them. Being the closest, Anya automatically leaned forward to pull him into the circle just as their entire world went white, nothing able to be seen, heard, or touched.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry. Short chapters are short. But this is a major cutoff, so it had to be done. Don't worry; plently more on the way! Thanks bunches to you readers and for all of the faves and subs. (Especially reviews!) So... Did you see <em>that <em>coming? Were you jumping up and down in your seat, waving your hand like Hermione Granger in charms, just _begging _to say, "It's Javier!"? **

**Well, that makes one of us.**

**Seriously; that whole thing was spur of the moment. We had no idea it was going to happen until it did. Please, tell us what you think! Can you guys tell that Christina and I have different writing styles? (We each hate our own and love each other's. It's why we work well together^^)**

**See ya next week!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Howdy, y'all! That last bit dramatic enough for ya? We'll be cranking out the rest of the story more quickly now that school's out. Well, hopefully. I actually typed a lot at school, so... Oh, well. To escape plot bunnies, we've both been writing little blurbs for our individual accounts while we figure out what the crap to do with this plot. ^^'**

**Well, we still don't own Hetalia. Just this story, Holly, and Anya. And the other weird OC's. Look out, because things are about to get really weird, really fast.**

* * *

><p>"Holly, come on already! If we're late for the first day of school, I'm never talking to you again!" Anya yelled at her twin sister from the bottom of the staircase. She huffed and checked her watch again, glancing up nervously at the door to their apartment. The brunette's hair was pulled back into a ponytail that fell down her back in dark curls. She was already dressed for school, wearing the standard uniform; a short sleeved button up shirt with a maroon blazer, a plaid maroon and white skirt, and white knee high socks with black Mary Jane's.<p>

"Coming!" Holly came tumbling down the stairs, her backpack slung over her shoulder as she finished buttoning the top button on her shirt. "I'm here, I'm here. Chill, sis!" She grinned and patted her shoulder. "We have plenty of time!" They ran down the street to their brand new school.

"Look at how big it is, Anya! It's like a college or something!" Holly exclaimed when they reached the front gates. Other teens filed in near them, chatting excitedly.

"It's the New World Academy," Anya reminded her. "The college shares the campus with the high school. It's the biggest school in the entire state of Oklahoma."

"Oh," the younger twin laughed. The girls followed the crowd to the front office, looking for a principal so they could get their schedules.

"Ah, here we are! Miss Michaelis and… Miss Michaelis!" A lady dressed in red, with hair nearly the same shade, handed the girls their schedules. They were exactly the same, except for two classes each; chamber orchestra and band, and then French and Spanish.

"Come on sis! I wanna get to class already!" the hazel eyed girl dragged her sister down the hallway, the latter simply sighing.

Their first class that they shared was Chemistry. While they had heard stories of the class being extremely difficult, the teacher was nice enough. The entire class period was spent getting to know their classmates- what they liked, if they did sports or music, things like that.

"Study hall is our next class." Anya glanced down at the paper in her hands as she placed it back into her binder and put the folder in her backpack.

"Everyone says you just spend study hall outside and relax, so let's go! Free class!" Holly ran outside into the summer air. She was so glad it was warm again! Her sister followed suit, dropping her backpack unceremoniously to the concrete and joining her sister under a large oak tree that provided a shady hideaway beside the library wall. The twins flopped back into the soft green grass, letting their eyes close as the fresh smell of pure _summer_ soaked into their senses.

"Well, hola, chica." A Spanish accented voice interrupted Holly from her nap. Anya sat up immediately, glaring daggers at the two upperclassmen that stood in front of her and her sister. "Whoa," the taller newcomer laughed. "Relax, hermana. I'm not going to _eat _her! Am I, Artie?" He nudged his friend's arm, disturbing him from his book.

"Hmm?" he grunted, looking up for the first time. He regarded both girls before righting his glasses and returning to his reading with a small wave.

"He's shy," the first boy laughed again. He walked forward and held a hand out to the younger twin, who took it instantly. Instead of shaking it- _Like a normal person, _Anya simmered- he turned Holly's hand over and gently kissed the skin of her wrist. "Me llamo Antonio Fernandez Carriedo," he said, rolling the syllables off of his tongue. "Or Toni, whichever you prefer. And this is my best friend, Artie Kirkland." He pointed at the green eyed blonde who had been dragged along.

"It's _Arthur, _you-"The blond caught himself and blushed at the twins. "N-Nice to meet you…" He stuttered and looked away, his reading glasses slipping down on his nose again.

"Awh! You have a British accent! It's so cute!" Holly gushed over the older teen, smiling when he fidgeted nervously and leaned casually against the old tree and pretended to read again.

"Hey...What grade are you guys in anyways?" Anya asked defensively, interrupting her fangirling. They looked awfully old to be openly flirting with two younger girls.

"Oh, me and Artie here are juniors! Seventeen years old!" Antonio grinned at the two girls.

"Oh, cool!" Holly grinned sociably. "We're freshman! This is our first-" Anya stabbed her sister in the ribs with her elbow.

"Ow…That hurt, Anya!" The hazel eyed sister glared at her, and Anya stared stonily back.

"Come now, hermana," Toni smirked playfully. "Let your hermanita speak, no?"

"_Come now, hermana…_" Anya felt a pang of recognition run through her with those few words. She had heard those words before, but where? Not from Holly, obviously. The girl was sharp as a tack in French, but Spanish was practically Greek to her. Maybe she was just imagining things…No. The feeling of utter rage and chaos that came with that simple phrase was too much to ignore.

"Now I have learned the name of your other half. May I ask for yours?" Antonio grasped Holly's hand in his own again, distracting her with flashing green eyes.

"Oh, m-my name is Holly," she stuttered, dazed. Arthur jumped from his place near the tree, taking in the –rather familiar- name. He smirked when he saw Toni flirting with the new girl and making her blush.

_She is quite cute when she's so flustered…_ Wait, what was he thinking? He had just met this girl, for God's sake. _Antonio _was the natural flirt, not him!

Anya cursed herself for zoning out; and at a time like this! She stood, starting to pull her sister with her. "Come on, Holly. We _really_ need to-"

"Hold on, sis! We have time- we still have forty five whole minutes!" The younger sister resisted, wanting to stay and talk to the two juniors.

"Yeah, _sis_," Toni snickered. "Are you her mamá as well?"

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Anya snapped. "Listen here, you-!" She lit into the poor boy, basically throwing any Spanish insult or curse word she could think of at him. She eventually ran out of profanities and stopped, panting slightly.

"What language," Toni deadpanned weakly.

Anya let out a frustrated groan, shouldering her bag and storming away angrily, leaving her sister in the grass.

"Is she like this a lot?" Arthur ventured, slowly closing his novel. "That was quite the display."

"Yeah, it's nothing new," Holly giggled. "Anyways, if we're going to talk, we may as well just sit down!" She smiled and plopped back down on the grass, patting the spots next to her for her new friends to join her.

* * *

><p>"Stupid…freaking… juniors!" Anya ground out as she stormed away from the library, looking for a place to cool down. Other students on break were lounging on the grass or on stone benches, and didn't pay any attention to the irate freshman. She turned a corner into the gap between two buildings and stumbled to a halt, mouth gaping.<p>

A large courtyard full of red and white rose bushes, young cherry trees, and cool stone benches greeted her sight. She instantly walked into it in awe, taking in the sight around her. It was just like something out of a fairytale. The smooth stones of a winding path felt untouched under her shoes, although cherry blossom petals rose from the ground in droves when the wind picked up. The place was so peaceful, and silent but for the wind and the birds.

It never occurred to Anya that there might be someone else there.

She hummed lightly as she skipped to the center of the garden, trying to calm down. She ran her hand across the majestic oak tree that sat in the middle of the ordeal, creating a cool oasis of shade underneath its leaves. Anya was slowly calming down, letting her hand trail over the rough bark as she circled the tree. Well, she _was _until her body collided with another, causing both parties to collapse into a red rose bush.

"Ah! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you!" The mortified girl instantly started to apologize, scrambling to help the other person up.

"It's okay," a soft voice said. "I'm fine." Anya found herself looking up at the boy she had knocked over. He stood nearly a head taller than her. Brushing jet black hair from his eyes, he regained his footing and nodded his thanks. "I was just hoping that you were okay. Those roses haven't had all of the thorns removed yet, and you fell much harder than I did."

"I-I'm fine, umm…" She trailed off, not knowing how to address him.

"That's good," he smiled. "I wish we could have met differently, but my name is Hon- Kiku Honda."

"Well, it's nice to meet you anyway." She reached forward to shake his hand. "My name's Anya Michaelis."

"It's nice to meet you too, Miss Anya," Kiku said politely. He turned to the crushed bush with concern in his eyes.

"Oh," Anya stared. "D-Do you think it's okay?"

Kiku knelt by the little bush and waved her over to join him.

"It will be," he said after a minute. "See? The leaves are a bit crumpled, but the stem and roots are fine. Put some wiring around it for support, and it'll be good as new."

"That's great," she sighed, relieved. "I didn't want to get in trouble for defacing school property, or ruining such a beautiful garden."

"You really like it?" The older boy sounded surprised.

"Are you kidding?" Anya gushed, surprising herself with how quickly her mood had vanished. "It's so peaceful here; I can't believe there aren't more people out here enjoying it!"

"That was our intention," Kiku admitted as he stood, holding out a hand to assist Anya. "Unfortunately, no one else has even noticed the new renovations the gardening club has done. We worked very hard, too. It's a little disappointing."

"_Students _did this?" Anya let him help her up and gazed around the courtyard again. It looked like the work of a whole team of landscapers, designed to be a safe harbor and relaxing hidey-hole from the universe. "You all did an amazing job. I've never seen anything like this!"

"Arigatou," the Japanese teen smiled at her. "By the way, I don't believe I've ever seen you before. Are you new?" He gave her a curious look, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"O-Oh, yeah. This is our first day. My sister and I are freshmen. Oh, and we're twins, so if you see me around, make sure it's me first." She cursed her inner babbling. So she had made a friend; was that so new? … Yes, she decided. Yes it was.

"Ah, so you're my kouhai," Kiku deduced. He laughed lightly at her confused look. "Sorry; underclassman. If you need any help finding anything around the school, you can just ask me if you wish."

"Thank you, Kiku. I will if I do." Anya smiled at the other teen. "Do you want to sit for a while? I've got time." The two chose a bench in the shade of the oak tree and stayed there for the rest of the class period, simply talking and getting to know each other.

Anya couldn't really put her finger on _why, _but she trusted this boy more than she trusted those juniors that she had left her sister with. Kiku was obviously a polite, decent, -and however old fashioned it might sound, _honorable-_ person. Arthur was still a bit of a mystery, but if he was that Spanish flirt's 'best friend', he couldn't be much better. Even if he _did_ read. Something kept her from becoming too worried, though. Her sister wasn't as clueless as she acted, and for some reason Anya was sure that the boys wouldn't try anything.

"What's wrong?" she asked suddenly. Kiku was looking at her with a very strange look on his face. The expression was somewhere between working a hard math problem and trying to remember if you had left the lights on. "Are there still leaves in my hair?" She had thought she'd scavenged them all out…

"You're very pretty, Anya," Kiku remarked quietly, a pale blush covering his cheeks. He had no idea what had prompted him to say such a thing. It was very forward, and unlike his normal character, but he felt so familiar with Anya that the filter between brain and mouth was not functioning properly.

Anya fidgeted with her uniform skirt's hem, muttering a thank you and blushing darkly. _Okay, that was just weird,_ she thought. _Maybe I was wrong about this guy? Well, he's obviously blind._

"You don't think so," he stated, practically reading her thoughts. Anya shook her head ashamedly. "Do you not think your sister is pretty?"

"Of course she is," Anya retorted defensively. "Holly's always surrounded by boys trying to ask her out, and she's popular wherever we go. She's already flirting with a couple of juniors." She jerked an angry thumb in the direction of the exit.

"And yet you say that the two of you are twins?" Kiku smirked triumphantly.

"Th-That's totally different," she denied. "Sure, we're twins. But it's not like we're-"

"Identical?" Another gentle smile. "You should have more confidence in yourself, Miss Michaelis. If you keep denying yourself and putting yourself down, you'll never take an opportunity when it arises."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she huffed, getting irritated again. Kiku chuckled and stood, walking over to the bush they had fallen in and returning with a half-grown flower in his hand.

"Take this for example," he instructed, taking his seat on the bench once again. "This little rose may think that it isn't as good as the other ones because it isn't as big or doesn't have a deeper color. So it tells itself that it will never bloom, and it closes up." He closed his hands over the blossom, shielding it from the light and from Anya's curious eyes. "What happens then?"

"Well, it won't grow," Anya said simply. "If it doesn't open up to the sunlight, it'll shrivel up and die."

"That's correct," Kiku nodded. "But if the sprout can see itself for what it really is and really can be, and makes an effort to bloom…" He opened his hands and Anya sucked in a breath. The meek little plant had vanished. In the palm of his hand lay a crimson rose blossom in full bloom.

"…Then it grows to be a lovely and fragrant rose, charmed by all who see it." The older boy whispered, lightly reaching forward and tucking the token behind the speechless girl's ear. And just for a moment, for the first time in a very long while, Anya saw herself how others must see Holly. How this strange, oddly formal boy seemed to see her.

"But who can tell?" he broke her out of her trance. "You won't know unless you have the confidence to keep going." Kiku stole a glance at her from the corner of his eye, blush prominent on his face now that his speech was complete. "So, now do you understand?"

"Yeah," Anya whispered, gently brushing her fingers across the silken petals that tickled her ear. "I think I do. Thanks." She looked up at the sky for a minute before she finally found the words to speak her thoughts. "Hey, Kiku?"

"Yes?" he asked, curious. "What is it?"

"You're way too poetic to only be in high school."

Kiku apparently found that very funny.

* * *

><p>"Anyhow, my family is actually all the way from Spain. We moved right before my little brothers were born. Artie's parents are in London, but he and his brothers live here!" Antonio explained to the eager freshman, her eyes gleaming with admiration and awe.<p>

"That's so cool!" Holly gushed over the two. "We were transferred here because we won a scholarship contest a couple years ago, and started as freshman here." Toni nodded and grinned at the shorter girl. He casually sprawled out across the carpet of grass beneath them, propping himself up on his elbows to look at her.

"Where are you from, Holly?" Arthur looked up at her from behind his glasses, his bright green eyes tinted with a curious glint.

"Oh, me and Anya? We're from L…Laa…uh…" She stumbled over her words, trying to remember a small, unremarkable place from last year's geography class. She could just say that they were born in America, but her flustered mind couldn't grasp the simplicity of the solution. "W-We're from Latvia! We were brought here when we were really little, though. That's why we don't speak- um-Latvian!"

"Ah, I see. That's neat." Arthur blushed and mumbled slightly as he looked back to his book, turning the page. "Say, Holly… Do you think Anya would let you come to the mall with us after school today?"

Toni sat up and clapped the other boy's shoulder. "I was just going to say the exact thing! So what do you think?" He glanced at Holly hopefully. "We were planning on going to eat, and maybe we could all go see a movie later!"

"Pshh, Anya doesn't decide where I go. She really isn't my mother, even if she tries to act like it." The shorter brunette stood as the bell rang, brushing her skirt off. "Well, I gotta get to orchestra. I don't want to make a bad impression on the teacher on my very first day!" She stood there and thought intently for a second before ripping a piece of notebook paper out of her binder and scribbling something furiously on it. She tore it in half and handed each junior a piece. "Here's my number, if you want to text me. Just tell me when you want to meet up and I'll be there! I check my phone constantly, so you'll be sure to get a message back~"

The teen looked up at the large clock tower on the school before scrambling for her bag. "Oh God, I'm going to be late! Crap crap crap crap _craaap_!" She grabbed her stuff and started sprinting in a random direction.

"Holly!" Arthur yelled, stuffing his book into his bag and racing after her. "You're going the wrong way!" He waved briefly to Toni as he ran after the clueless freshman. _She really is lost without Anya sometimes, isn't she?_ As he caught up with her, Arthur gave Holly and exasperated look. "The music building is _that_ way, silly." He pointed in the direction almost opposite the way she had been running.

"Oops?" Holly blushed. "Thanks…" She turned around and started in the right direction at a brisk pace, and was surprised to find Arthur still walking with her. He kept up with her frantic strides easily, amusement plastered all over his face. "Um, so where are you going?"

"To orchestra," he smirked. "Where else would the first chair Chamber violin be headed at a time like this?"

* * *

><p>"That's the bell," Kiku commented as the large copper bell rang out the end of their second class period.<p>

"Ugh…I don't want to go to band," Anya groaned as she plodded over to the edge of the shade and hefted her bag onto her back. "Can't I just stay here and take a nap or something?"

"You're in band too?" he asked, a little surprised. There weren't many freshmen in the school's band; for some reason, only the older students ever showed interest.

"What? Oh, yeah. I play the French horn." Anya explained, feeling a little self-conscious. At her old school, the band had been considered really un-cool, and she didn't want to seem dumb in front of this nice (and rather attractive, she noted with a secretive smile) boy.

"I have band this block as well," Kiku exclaimed. "I'm a percussionist. Would you like to walk with me? I can help you find your class." He gathered up his bag and drumsticks and joined the brunette in walking.

"Yeah, thanks," Anya grinned widely. "That'd be awesome."

* * *

><p>"Sis? Sis-s-s!" Holly groaned as she walked to the music building with Arthur, the blond staying quiet by her side. "Gosh, where is she? The band practices in this building too, right?" She was ready to just give up and get to her class when she finally spotted Anya walking into the band room with- wait. Who was <em>that<em>? The younger twin grinned impishly, realizing that _her _sister, Miss Anti-male 199-EVER, was chatting with an upperclassman boy. They must have met when she was all stormy and yell-y and stuff.

"There's Anya, Holly…" Arthur pointed towards her and the boy she was with. "Did you need to talk to her?"

"No," she sang, choking back her laughter. "I'm just going to leave her alone for a while~"

"But didn't you need to ask her about-?"

"_Alone._"

* * *

><p>"Why. Can't. I. Get. This. Right?" Anya ground out under her breath as she scribbled in the flat sign next to the note she had missed.<p>

"You'll get it," a horn player named Matthew whispered encouragingly. "I hate A-flats, too." Anya smiled gratefully at the quiet blonde next to her as the conductor set them off again, the horns playing smooth whole and half notes in contrast to the trumpets' trills. The brass instruments practiced together in one room while the woodwinds and percussion played together in another. It was nothing new; just the same arrangement as middle school. The only difference was that this band was much larger, and was playing much more difficult music.

"Now horns, right here is where you need to play softer; you're being overbearing, and I need to hear more of the trumpets instead." The director watched the two sections doodle in either a double _forte_ or a _mezzo-piano_. He started off on a rant about dynamics that the class was grateful for; they were finally getting a break.

While he was gushing about contrast, Anya wondered how she had gotten into the first band. It was the most advanced class, and yet she somehow had managed to be placed in it, without her knowing, of course. Had the administrators just stuck her in there on a whim? They must have, because while the class was fun, she was being dragged along by the ear.

"Now we need to go back to measure number forty-five and play to the end," the director instructed. Groans were suppressed as everyone put their instruments up.

* * *

><p>"Violas, you need to play a lot louder here." The instructor motioned towards the section. "Especially you, Holly. You might be new, but if you're going to play a solo, it has to be heard!" Holly blushed and nodded, feeling half of the eyes in the room boring into the back of her head.<p>

Arthur felt kind of sorry for her; after all, she was only the new kid and having to play a solo right off the bat was nerve wracking. He thought back to when they had first had tryouts for the class in May.

* * *

><p><em>"Come on already! I wanna see who made what chair!" The entire class gathered around the bulletin board, eager to see who had made the class, and what chair each person had gotten out of those selected. "First violin, first chair is Arthur Kirkland!" The blond blushed and smiled sheepishly. <em>

_"Who made first chair viola?" A blond haired girl with a bow on top of her head growled as she shoved people out of her way. _

_"Natalia, chill! Even if you didn't make first chair, you made chamber for sure!" Toris patted her slightly on the shoulder, earning a growl from the older girl._

_"Viola, first chair, goes to Holly Michaelis," someone said unceremoniously. "Wait. Who the heck is Holly?" _

_"She's transferring here from another school and will be here next year. Second chair goes to Natalia Braginski, third chair to…" The music department president continued on as the blond grew furious. _

_"I swear to God- on the first day of school, she's going to regret ever being born."_

* * *

><p>"Holly, you can back off slightly <em>here<em>," Mr. Beildschmit gestured. "But give a bit more _here_. The higher voice needs to be heard over the bottom here. Got it?" The director glanced at her from his score, lifting his hands to continue conducting.

"Yes sir," the brunette squeaked, knowing she was being glared at from the stand behind her. It also didn't help that the conductor's oddly-colored red eyes were creeping her out. The first count hit, and she started to play, finally bringing out the right tone for the solo.

After class, the students chatted excitedly as they put their instruments away. Arthur was constantly casting worried glances toward Holly, emerald eyes following her into the instrument locker room. As she closed the door on her instrument locker, Holly turned around to be greeted by a pair of bright blue eyes.

"U-uhm, hello, Natalia." The taller girl stomped forward, causing Holly to flinch back into the lockers. She winced as a lock ground into her shoulder.

"You had better be giving me first chair, or quitting this class, because I refuse to be upstaged by a stupid freshman like you." Natalia glared with fire in her icy eyes. "I've been first chair every year I've been here, and I don't plan on that stopping any time soon." She backed up and walked away- outside of the building and off to her next class. Holly just stood there in shock; what just happened?

* * *

><p>"Hello." A sharp pencil to her back startled Anya as she snapped the clasps closed on her case, causing her to yelp and jump half a foot in the air.<p>

Kiku laughed out his apology. "You're easily scared, Miss Anya," he grinned. "Here, I'll get that." He picked up her instrument and put it in its locker on the top row of cubby holes.

"Thanks," Anya smiled and put her backpack on, slinging it over her shoulders as she waited for him. "How was percussion?"

"Same as last year," he shrugged. "We don't really have to do all that much. The only really challenging part is being in the drum line, and I'm not even in it."

"Why?" she asked, following him outside. "Don't they think you're good enough?"

"I wouldn't have time," he explained. "I'm in the N.J.R.O.T.C., and that's more important than a more challenging role in band."

"There's really a _navy_ R.O.T.C.?" Anya exclaimed. "I thought Holly was joking…" She had known about the Air Force Junior R.O.T.C., but had figured that the only navy groups would be someplace closer to- well, _water_.

"There really is," Kiku promised, crossing his heart playfully. "I'll have to show you some drills; they're really pretty incredible. They let us use real sabers and everything."

"Let me guess; you can dance, too, can't you?" she deadpanned. "What a show off!"

"Actually, I can…" Kiku sounded unsure, and a bit confused. "How did you make _that _connection?"

"I…" Anya frowned. "I think someone told me once that swordplay had some type of correlation to dancing. That they aren't so different." She shook her head irritably, as if trying to shake water from her ears. "But I can't remember where I heard it. Weird."

"Weird," he agreed. "Well, what's your next class? If it's close, I can walk you there."

"Let's see…" Anya rifled through her bag to find her schedule. "Oh, it's Spanish next. With a Mr. Alvarez?" She raised an eyebrow as Kiku barked out a laugh. "What, do you know him?"

"He was my Spanish teacher last year," Kiku chuckled. "I'm not pursuing the language, but the class was alright. Call it a hunch, but- Never mind. I'll just give you the Spanish Inquisition at lunch."

"Huh?" she asked brilliantly.

"Nothing, nothing. Now, the foreign language classes are this way…"

* * *

><p>"Holly, are you ready to-? Dear God, what happened?" Arthur was in shock; the normally bubbly girl was under a personal raincloud of despair. "Natalia said something to you, didn't she?"<p>

"Is it that obvious?" she squeaked, clearing her throat. "I mean… Really? Artie, what do I do? Nat scares the snot outta me!"

"What did she want?" he asked calmly, slipping into what he hoped one day would be his 'counselor' voice. Psychiatry was so interesting; peoples' minds could really play tricks on them! Arthur had decided that he would get a degree in that field when he was older… mostly to find out where his flying green bunny had come from.

"She wants me to quit, or give her first chair," Holly said quietly. "She- She wouldn't actually _do _anything… Would she?"

"Oh, that's just Natalia for you," Arthur smiled warmly. "She really just wants to impress her older brother; Ivan's off playing chamber in college. She would never do anything to hurt you, though, so don't worry about it. At least it isn't Ivan himself; the man gets so drunk he can't see straight." He ruffled the dejected girl's hair. "I have Ivan's number, so if she threatens you again, I can blackmail her with it."

"Artie, that's so mean!" she laughed, and Arthur was glad to see her smile again. "Well, I've got to go to French next… Do you know where it is?"

"You took the Frog's class?" he gasped, stopping in his tracks. People sidestepped him to get around, but he didn't notice. Suddenly looking frightened, Arthur grabbed Holly's arm and bent down to look her in the eye. "Listen very carefully, Holly. That man is a monster. If he says or does anything to make you uncomfortable, you let me know immediately."

"Why?" Holly gulped, alarmed. "Is he some sort of weirdo?"

"Yes!" Arthur hissed. "I mean, no- What I mean is, I just don't like him, okay? Haven't since freshman year, and I didn't even have his class!"

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," she laughed nervously. "I'll make sure to tell him that you said hi!"

"Holly Michaelis, don't you _dare-_!"

The hazel eyed sister laughed and ran off to the main building once again, slowing down to a walk when she entered the empty halls. Her shoes clicked as she strolled to the last classroom on the left; it was her French class. She entered the room quietly, looking around at the other few students who had come to class early.

"Bonjour, madam. Comment tu t'appelle?" An accented voice greeted her as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Je m'appelle Holly Michaelis, mais appelle moi Axcelle, sil vous plait." She smiled.

The blond teacher stood up from his desk and walked over to her. "Ah, tu est une etudient nouvelle?"

"Oui, oui. Êtês-vous Monsieur Bonnefoy?"

He smiled down at the brunette. "Oui, qui est moi. Welcome to French, Holly- I mean, Axcelle."

The class started about twenty minutes later. The eight person class received a forest green textbook, a red composition book, and a study guide. They started on the most basic chapter verb starter; the imperfect tense.

"Elles parlons….no, that isn't right… Elles parliez... that isn't right either!" Holly groaned as her head hit the desk with an inaudible thud.

"Avez-vous besoin aide, mon cher?" Monsieur Bonneyfoy walked up from behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder gently.

"Yes, please! I don't have the slightest idea of what I'm doing." She pouted as her face flushed slightly.

"Okay, this is simple. Find the present tense nous form first." He pointed at the verb with his pencil.

"Nous parlons," Holly muttered slightly, trying not to just flip the desk over in frustration.

"Bonne. Now, We only take off the –ons, right?"

"Oui, because –ir number two verbs end with –issons." Holly nodded her understanding. "Good. Now, we simply remove the –ons, and we add the new endings to our stem. Do you know the endings, Axcelle?" The young teacher looked her in the eyes.

"Je is –ais, tu is –ais, il and elle are –ait, nous is –ions, vous is –iez, and ils and elles is…" She trailed off, scrunching her brow in concentration.

"-aissent?" He finished for her quietly.

Her eyes brightened at the statement. "That's it! That's the one I needed!" A grin spread across her face as she scribbled the letters down. "Thank you so much!" A smile graced her teacher's features as he nodded and stood back up, walking to the other students who needed help as well.

* * *

><p>"So I'll find you at lunch?" Anya asked hopefully. "Can we eat out in the courtyard?" Kiku had offered to walk her to Spanish, and she was lingering just outside of the classroom.<p>

"I'll find you," he corrected, ushering her into the slowly filling room. "Go on; get in there before you're late. Senor Alvarez hates tardiness. Good luck!" He left her there with a laugh and a wave, jogging off to his next class.

"Thanks," she whispered, not minding the ridiculous grin on her face as she entered the Spanish I classroom. Surprisingly, there were very few freshmen. The majority of the group contained sophomores and juniors, along with a few seniors who had waited to get their Foreign Language credits until the last minute.

"Alright, settle down," the teacher ordered. He had an olive complexion and long dark hair tied back in a low ponytail. Anya quickly chose a seat in the front row so she would be able to see the whiteboard. When everyone had found a place, the teacher stood up from his desk and addressed the class. "Bienvenidos a la clase de espanol. Soy Profesor Alvarez." He received only blank stares from most of the assembled teens, and sighed ruefully. "Welcome to Spanish. I'm Sr. Alvarez."

The class gave a collective "Ohhh" of comprehension. This was going to be another _long _year.

"Don't worry," he said, more to himself than to the class. "It's perfectly normal to have no experience in the language at the start. Starting with the basics, it will be my job this year to teach you to at least hold a normal conversation in Spanish. The amount you learn all depends on _you_. The fruit of your efforts will either amount up to 'Me gustan gatos'" – Anya snorted, drawing estranged looks from her classmates- "or something along the lines of 'La joven castaño conqueteó con su novio antes de clase.'"

He looked directly at Anya, smiling benignly. Yes, he had seen her with Kiku, but didn't mean anything by saying that she had been _flirting _with him. His students' social lives were not his concern. In any case, no freshman student would actually understand-

"He's not my-!" Anya gasped, clapping a hand over her own mouth. Everyone in the class was staring at her as if she had popped out of the floor in a flash of purple lightning. Of course, they hadn't understood the statement at all. "S-Sorry," she whispered, mortified.

Sr. Alvarez marched quietly up to her desk, scrutinizing her. He opened his mouth, and Anya expected a reprimand. Instead, he asked her a simple question in Spanish. She answered automatically, and cheered up at the excited smile on his face. He immediately asked her a more complex question, with the same result. The class watched, the captive spectators of a verbal tennis match, until the teacher finally threw out an unfamiliar word.

Anya searched her memory, but no corresponding English word came to mind. "I don't know," she finally relented. "What does 'nutria' mean?"

"Impressive," Sr. Alvarez grinned. "Really excellent work. Oh, and it means 'otter'." He watched the new student closely, noting the way she repeated the new word to herself, savoring the feel of it. She wasn't going to forget _that _one any time soon. He turned to his dumbstruck class. "You see?" he said casually, as if nothing had happened. "Applying yourself can bring about great results."

"Like, that's totally not fair!" a voice whined. Anya did a double take; the blond sophomore looked exactly like the nice boy from the horn section. However, this was obviously not the same person. This boy was tilting back dangerously in his chair, and chomping loudly on bubble gum. "You're from, like, South America or something, right? That's how you speak Mexican so good." He pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Let me guess; taking your own language as an easy A? Don't deny it, babe!"

"Okay, I don't know who you are, but listen," Anya huffed, turning slightly in her seat. "One, it's Spanish. Mexican is not a language. Two, do I _sound _like I'm from South America? Three, I took this class because I _happen _to be interested in the language. Four, if you have a problem you can leave and go take an _English _class, which you clearly need. And five-" She glared her hardest at him. "_Don't _call me 'babe'. It's derogatory."

She faced the front again, the tips of her ears tingling with anger and embarrassment. What was up with her? She had blown up so many times today… It was like high school had unleashed some sort of anger hormone that she couldn't control. _Calm down, girl. Just calm down…_

"That's enough," Sr. Alvarez said sharply. "Please refrain from instigating conflicts in my class, Alfred. That goes for you too, Miss…" He glanced down at his roster, going pale when his eyes fixated on one specific name. "Michaelis?"

"Lo siento," Anya muttered. Staring at her desk, she missed the shocked and slightly fearful look on her teacher's face.

"V-Very well," he coughed, trying to act naturally. "Now, if I could have someone hand out the textbooks… Ah, Mr. Jones! Thank you for volunteering!" Twenty minutes later, the students were chatting animatedly about summer, schedules, and the latest fads. Anya rolled her eyes and resumed going over her assigned summer reading book.

"Forgot to do your homework?" an amused voice asked. Anya jumped and snapped the book shut. Sr. Alvarez was staring at her curiously. "It's nothing to be ashamed of," he went on. "Literature seems to be lost on this generation as a whole unless it involves the luminescent undead."

"Don't make me laugh," she scoffed, waving the paperback with the practiced ease of an avid reader. "This is my third time through. I'm disappointed in myself for not reading it _years _ago."

"To Kill a Mockingbird?" he noticed, surprised. "Most students find that novel horribly dull. What makes it so special to you?"

Anya was thrown off by his question. No teacher had ever asked her _why _she enjoyed a particular book. Her past English teachers had just assumed that she would read anything. "Well, I like the tone, I guess. It's… not _sarcastic,_ just blunt. There's all of this serious prejudice going on, and it's all told from the perspective of a scrappy little tomboy. She tells it like it is, as she sees it."

"That's true," he nodded approvingly, sliding into an empty desk. "So Scout is your favorite character?"

"Atticus," she answered immediately. "He's so cool and confident; I think I found a new hero." She sighed, fanning the pages wistfully. "He raises his kids right, and he's an honest man. And there's so much that Scout and Jem don't even know about him, like when he shot that gun. He's not prejudiced and he always makes time for his little girl."

"Is that jealousy I hear?" Sr. Alvarez laughed. "D-Do you talk that way about your own father?"

The hurt and anger that passed through her violet eyes pinned him in place, and the quick recovery was almost as paralyzing. "Holly and I don't have any parents," Anya said bluntly. "We're wards of the state; as if you didn't know." She knew what the teachers thought of them. It had been the same ever since they were little. The female teachers would cluck and fuss over the _poor little dears_ while the males would glance at them suspiciously, as if they were going to suddenly become emotional and cause a riot.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, looking uncomfortable. "If you don't mind my asking-?"

"We were abandoned," she shrugged. "I hardly even remember them anymore, so I can't really miss them." Okay, that was a lie. They both missed mamá and papá. Or maybe they just missed having them. "Excuse me, but would it be alright if I went to the library?"

"Of course," Sr. Alvarez nodded. He'd been teaching long enough to recognize a high-strung teen when he saw one. "Take your time; the class doesn't end for another twenty minutes."

Anya thanked him and left the room before she realized that she didn't even know where the library was. _Stupid huge school._ Well, it wasn't as if she had needed to go, anyway. She just needed to cool down. What was wrong with her? She hadn't felt this pumped and anxious since-

"Hey!" a coarse voice barked. "Do you have a hall pass?" Anya squeaked as a firm hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around. The stranger was tall, with jet black hair and eyes nearly the same shade. His thin mouth was drawn up in a disapproving scowl. "I said, do you have a pass?" he repeated.

"N-No," she stammered, backing away from him. She was so flustered she couldn't even form a coherent thought. "Sr. Alvarez didn't… t-the library?"

"Freshmen," the teacher grumbled. He pulled a small notebook and pen out of his pocket. "Give me your name and homeroom. I'm going to have to write you up."

"B-But he didn't tell me that I would need a pass!" Anya protested angrily. "I was given permission to go to the library, but I'm totally lost. Come on, it's my first day!"

"It is every freshman's first day," he pointed out, frowning. "And if every one of them was wandering the halls, no one would get an education. Now, your _name_," he demanded. Anya sighed and opened her mouth to say-

"Michaelis!" another voice answered for her. The annoying sophomore named Alfred bounded around the corner, holding a slip of paper. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the teacher. "O-Oh. Hello, Mr. Souma."

"Mr. Jones," Mr. Souma acknowledged, looking between both students as if he couldn't figure out which one would cause the most trouble.

"Here," Alfred whispered, shoving the small scrap into Anya's hands before sprinting like an Olympian back to the safe haven that was Spanish. The slip appeared to be a hastily written hall pass, signed and dated by Mr. L Alvarez.

"It seems that I do have a hall pass now," Anya said sweetly. "Mr. Souma, could you please direct me in the direction of the library?" Why was the name so familiar? It burned her tongue like a bittersweet acid. She tried to dredge up where she might have heard it before, but only came up with images of Benedict Arnold and Adolph Hitler. It was like something inside of her was positively screaming at her to either run and hide or find the nearest firearm.

"Out that door and to the right," he pointed reluctantly. "It's the building by the large tree."

"Oh, thanks!" she beamed, waltzing past him to the door. _What am I doing?_ she panicked. _I can't pick a fight with a **teacher **on the first **day**! _But she really wanted to show this man that whatever he did, she wasn't scared. It was an urge as innate as blinking or breathing or speaking. It couldn't be denied. This is why Anya felt incredibly satisfied at the poorly concealed rage on Mr. Souma's face as she waved cheekily and ducked out into the sunshine.

* * *

><p>"Dudes, Souma's on the warpath!" These were Alfred's first words as soon as he returned to Spanish, slamming the door behind him. The entire class froze before exploding into chatter.<p>

"Basta!" Sr. Alvarez clapped his hands once, and the class calmed down. "Alfred, what is going on? Did you give Miss Michaelis her hall pass?"

"Well, duh!" the sophomore yelled. "I totally swooped in like a hero; and just in time! Souma was gonna give the newbie a 'Freakishly Fresh 'Ferral'!" Everyone groaned at the title that Alfred himself had given to the yearly occurrence. Mr. Souma would write up at least a dozen clueless freshmen on the first day of school. "But you guys, she was _fighting back_. Against _the _Mr. Souma! Maybe I was wrong about the new girl; she's not just talk." He actually looked smug, as if he had taught Anya everything she knew, and hadn't been putting her down only a half hour before.

"Thank you, Mr. Jones," the teacher sighed. "Please return to your seat. Quietly." He had heard students complain about Ryu's unfairness, but he had simply assumed that it was the general grumbling that came naturally with teenagers. Maybe it was time to look further into it…

"Everyone, I'm stepping out. Please endeavor to display intelligence in my absence." He left the classroom and caught only a glimpse of his new student as she left through the side door. _Good. She knows the way to the library. _

Mr. Souma was still shaking with rage. He heard the footsteps behind him and composed himself in order to greet Mr. Alvarez. "Shouldn't you be teaching?" he smiled thinly. "You know; 'Hola, me llama es Sanchez'?"

"_Llamo_ is the conjugated form of a reflexive verb," Alvarez corrected automatically. "Therefore, _es _is not the correct- oh, never mind! Ryu, what is going on? One of my students seemed to think that World War Three was in motion out here."

"Miss Michaelis was wandering the halls without a pass."

"Which was entirely my oversight. I hope you become more lenient with the freshmen. They are confused and need time to acclimate themselves to high school."

"They need to learn the rules," Mr. Souma argued. "You're too much of a pushover, Alvarez."

"I resent that statement."

"Alright, let's just leave it," the younger man sighed. "I just hope she won't be a problem," he muttered.

"Miss Michaelis seems to be an intelligent and well behaved student, Ryu." Mr. Souma wouldn't look him in the eye. "She _won't _be a problem in our school."

"I sincerely hope not," he snapped. He turned to the back of his notepad, where a temporary roster had been carefully taped. "Because it seems that Miss Anya Michaelis is in my penultimate class of the day. Oh, and a Miss Holly." Mr. Souma saw the look that marred the other teacher's forcefully cheerful expression. He just couldn't identify it. "I'll have to make sure to have a good long talk with them."

* * *

><p><strong>Teehee, anyone catch the <em>Twilight<em> reference? Confused? Well, so are we. Review and stuffs to inspire us, because that's what keeps us writing! Happy summer!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow guys. I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. Thank you guys do much for all the praise, reviews, story faves, alerts, fave author, everything. We get so excited when we see them. You guys are amazing. The story's only been up since...April 2nd, and we've gotten this much feedback on it. It's amazing. Thank you guys so much! ~Christina**

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* * *

><p>"I knew that name was familiar <em>somehow,"<em> Anya groaned. She let her bag fall from her shoulders and hit the grass with a solemn _thud, _her lunch box not far behind. Clutched in her hand was a crumpled paper schedule. The older twin had successfully braved Science, Study Hall, Band, Spanish, Gym, and English. All that remained was History and Math, the latter of which she hated with a fiery passion fueled by a thousand suns. But even that paled in comparison to the very next item on her agenda; _World History, Room 811. Mr. Souma._

"An-ya~!" An all too cheerful voice broke into her depression. She looked up in time to be tackled by her own hyperactive clone. "Why did you run off?" she pouted. "I had to find Artie and Toni all by myself!" Said juniors nodded to Anya as they joined her in the shade of the oak, dropping their bags and sitting down to lunch.

"Hola, querido," Toni grinned. "How did you like class with Señor Stick-in-the-Mud?"

"Mr. Alvarez?" Anya frowned, too confused to remember that she was supposed to be ignoring him. "He seemed really nice. We talked about the summer reading, and he likes the fact that I already know some Spanish. Why? Is he usually mean?"

"Mean?" Arthur choked on a carrot stick. "That man once gave an entire class an extra hour of homework just because my stupid brother made a quip about him. And you actually held a _conversation_ with him?" He coughed until Holly gave him a solid thump on the back. "Thanks, love. But seriously, Anya; Alvarez is the strictest man alive. Next thing you know, you'll be best mates with Mr. Souma!"

"Not a chance," Anya and Antonio said in unison.

The older boy looked at her in wonder. "Don't tell me you already had a run in with _him, _too!" he gasped. "That is one hombre malo, chiquita. Pure evil!"

Holly paled, glancing at the schedule clenched in her sister's fist. "Hey, Anya?"

"I know," she sighed. "Mr. Souma's History class is next for us. And he's such a jerk! He tried to write me up for no reason."

"I feel your pain," Arthur said solemnly. He patted her shoulder sympathetically. "The best thing is to ignore him completely. He'll try to bait you, but you have to remember that he can't actually do anything unless you give him an opening."

"Thanks for the advice," Anya gritted, lightly shrugging off his hand. "But I'm actually supposed to meet someone for lunch, so I think I'll be going now. I'll see you in class, Holly." Without another word to the boys, she shouldered her bag and left for the courtyard.

"She really hates us, doesn't she?" Arthur laughed sadly, firmly snubbed by the older twin's rejection. He was already used to the animosity, but he knew that he didn't want it to go on forever.

"Of course not," Holly pacified. "She would have been hitting you by now if she really hated you, and she wouldn't leave me alone with you!"

"Yeah, lighten up, amigo!" Antonio pulled Holly into a one-sided hug. "Holly likes us plenty! Don't you, cariño?" He paused, his big grin slipping for a minute as a strange feeling crawled up his spine. He had been feeling _off _since this morning; strange notions, thoughts and actions that were not in his character, and a concrete familiarity with Holly Michaelis were overwhelming him.

"I sure do," she gushed, oblivious to the change in mood. "You're the nicest guys I've ever met!"

"Th-Thank you," Arthur smiled. "But I am sorry for upsetting Anya. She didn't have to make up an appointment just to leave; I wouldn't have been offended."

"But she wasn't pretending," Holly smiled coyly. "Trust me; I know when she's lying."

"Then who-?" Comprehension dawned on the Brit like a new day. "Ah, so it's like that, is it?" he smirked.

"Well, she's never shown any interest before," she crowed. "I have a really good feeling about it!"

"Whoa there, telepaths," Toni chuckled. "What did I miss?"

"I- Well, _we _think," Holly whispered excitedly. "That Anya has a _boyfriend!_"

* * *

><p>"<em>Bastardos<em>," Anya muttered. "I swear, if I wasn't late…" The antipathy she felt towards the boys was new to her; she didn't usually hate people right off. But it was so satisfying! And yet… It wouldn't feel right to enjoy the beauty of the garden while harboring those kinds of thoughts. Taking several deep breaths to calm her spinning head, she entered the half-concealed courtyard and dumped her bag by the stone bench. There was another backpack placed by the base of the tree, and Anya smiled.

"Kiku?" she called out. "Hello?" The courtyard seemed empty, but someone was obviously there... Anya gradually became aware of a rhythmic sound coming from somewhere else in the garden. Curious, she bypassed the tree and peeked around a trellis that was crawling with ivy and roses. A flash of silver crossed her vision, and she jumped back with a sharp inhale. After a quick check to make sure that her heart was still functioning and that she wasn't dreaming, Anya risked another cautious look around the edge of the trellis.

"Hup!" Kiku spun the saber high into the air, turning halfway around and catching it one-handed. Anya gulped as he drew the blade from its sheath, the blade glinting in the dapples of sunlight streaming through the trees. And she wasn't only nervous about the blade; her friend had shed the maroon school jacket and tie, leaving only his slacks and white polo shirt. Anya snapped her mouth closed, realizing that it had been gaping open in shock. The sinuous movements of the sword drill stirred something inside her- something that was warm and familiar, and made her blush.

_That's impossible, _she berated herself. _I would definitely remember ever seeing anything like this._

Kiku tossed the sword once more, and his nimble fingers caught the hilt as it came spinning to earth. In one fluid motion, he sheathed the saber and knelt on one knee, driving the covered blade point first into the ground.

"And that is what you learn in the N.J.R.O.T.C.," he grinned, looking up and instantly locking his eyes on Anya. The girl squeaked and prayed that the ground would open up and _just swallow her, already!_ He had known she was there?

"I- I see," Anya blushed, leaving the inadequate cover of the trellis. "So I guess you knew where I was, huh?"

"_Zanshin_ is an art that all warriors must master in order to be aware of their surroundings," Kiku intoned sagely. "That, and I heard you calling for me. I was already drilling, but I thought I'd show off a bit." He blushed as well, realizing how that might have sounded. "B-But that was just a routine ceremonial drill. All of the members have to learn it."

"Well, that's a good enough reason for me _not _to join R.O.T.C.," Anya joked nervously. "It's way out of my league."

"It is not so hard," he argued. He offered her the saber, hilt first. "Would you like to try it? It's easy without all of the footwork. Just toss, and catch."

A sword? Was he really handing her- the clumsy twin, the one with neither balance nor coordination- a sharp, pointy object? And he wanted her to _throw _it? "Um… Thank you, no."

"If you say so." Kiku tucked the saber under his arm and grabbed his jacket and tie before going back to the bench to eat lunch. "So, how do you like the academy so far?"

Anya filled him on the events of the day in between bites of a PB&B, smiling when she described her encounters in Spanish class. "Sr. Alvarez is really cool," she said thoughtfully. "I don't know why people say he's so strict."

"I had a feeling you two would hit it off," Kiku laughed. "I mean, you've been speaking Spanish for so long… How old were you? Five? Six?"

"Actually, it was right after my sixth birthday that-" she frowned, putting her sandwich away and looking at him warily. "How did you know that? I've never told anyone how long I've been studying Spanish. That was between me and-!" Anya broke off, suddenly unwilling to say any more on the subject. "Th-The point is, I never talk about it. So how did you know that?"

"I… just guessed?" It sounded more like a question, as if Kiku himself didn't know why he had said it. "I'm very sorry if that's a sore subject, but I have no idea where that came from. I don't recall you even telling me that you had any prior knowledge of the language. Perhaps it is similar to the connection you made between sword drills and dancing?"

"Yeah, you're probably right." Although it made no sense at all, it was the only explanation Anya could think of. There was no feasible relation between the fact that she was _taking _Spanish and when she had begun to _learn_ it. Kiku's accuracy was beyond eerie. "I'm sorry for snapping at you like that," she said.

"It is okay," Kiku shrugged. He produced a chocolate chip cookie from his lunch and broke it in half. "Am I forgiven?"

"Unquestionably." Anya took half of the treat and munched happily. "This is just what I needed to get through history and math."

"You do not like history? I find it quite fascinating." He looked surprised, as if expecting a much different reaction.

"Oh, don't get me wrong," Anya backpedaled. "History is my favorite subject after English. It's my new history teacher that I'm worried about."

Kiku suddenly frowned, looking almost angry. "If you're talking about Mr. Souma-"

"How'd you guess?" she asked sardonically.

"You really shouldn't believe all of the stories that people tell about him," he advised. "Some of the upperclassmen have demonized him, but he isn't that bad."

"Not that bad?" Anya spluttered. "I was out of the classroom for all of five seconds before he tried to write me up! It was like he was waiting for someone to punish."

"He's a good man," Kiku snapped. "He has his reasons for being the way he is." They sat in silence for a moment, Anya feeling slightly hurt by the older boy's rebuttal.

"I'm sorry I said anything," she finally apologized. "There's just something about him that worries me. It's not that I'm scared of him," she clarified. "He just seems like a person I could never get along with."

"Well, I understand that feeling," Kiku sighed. To Anya's avid relief, the anger had drained from his voice. "Everyone has someone in their life that they simply cannot stand. Everything they say or do just makes you so angry that you want to cry."

"That's it exactly!" Anya exclaimed. She blinked up at him in concern. "You sound like you know from experience. Do you have a situation like that?" She couldn't imagine such a well-mannered boy being at odds with anyone.

"Well, there is-"

"Paging Anya Michaelis!" A raucous, all-too-familiar accent shattered the birdsong in the courtyard. "Your lovely sister wishes to converse with you!" Antonio strolled through the bushes casually and grinned when he saw the couple.

"What do you want?" Kiku growled, standing defensively as the junior approached.

"Whoa, amigo!" Toni held up his hands in mock surrender. "Don't shoot the messenger." He smiled around Kiku to meet Anya's eyes. "Cariño, Holly is looking for you. She says it's important."

"Thanks, Antonio," Anya sighed. "Tell her I'll be at the tree in a minute, would you?"

"Cómo no!" Toni winked, strutting back through the foliage with his hands deep in his pockets. Anya saw Kiku visibly wince every time the older boy trampled a plant. "See you in a minute, Anya!" He turned around, almost like he'd forgotten something. "Oh, and Mitsubishi? It's nice to see you again." He laughed again and exited the garden, leaving the broken mood in his wake.

"I see what you mean," Anya said. "I knew he was an obnoxious flirt, but I didn't think he was a jerk, too."

"I'm used to it," Kiku said sadly. He helped Anya gather her things. "Ever since my first day here, Carriedo has made it his mission to make my life miserable. Out of the entire school, he is the only one who lacks the decency to refrain from mocking my last name. It is most irritating." He blushed and handed Anya a book that had slipped from her bag. "So… You and your sister are friends with him?"

"No," she assured. "I honestly hate that guy. He and his friend won't stop flirting with Holly."

"That sounds about right," he mumbled. "Would you like for me to talk to him? I would gladly claim it was self-defense."

"For both of our sakes, I'll assume that you're joking."

"…"

"I-I guess I should go see Holly," Anya told him. "She'll start freaking out again if I don't hurry up."

As she turned to leave, Kiku lurched forward. "What does cariño mean?" he blurted.

"I-It's a term for a younger girl," she explained sheepishly. "It can mean honey or sweetheart… Wow, I didn't even notice he was doing it, but he calls Holly that all the time." She shook her head. The endearment had been so natural and familiar that she really hadn't realized that the older boy was using it. "Y-You know what an awful flirt that _bastardo _is."

Kiku nodded thoughtfully. "I just hope he doesn't give you any trouble... Anya, don't come to hate Mr. Souma as much as I hate that guy. Please, give him a chance."

"Okay," she said grudgingly. Hefting her bag further onto her shoulder, she shot him a stern glare. "But only because it's you. Thank you so much for all of your help today, senpai!" Anya gave Kiku a genuinely warm smile and bowed her head slightly. She ran out of the garden, leaving Kiku shaking his head in wonder.

He could imagine how a conversation might go later; he would ask where she had learned Japanese formality, and her eyes would be wide and overjoyed when she proudly proclaimed that she read way too much manga.

* * *

><p>"Anya, calm down. It's okay. I just wanted your opinion." Holly jerked her sister back to the ground, restraining her from doing anything rash.<p>

"My opinion is that I'm going to find that stuck up girl and give her a piece of my mind," Anya growled. "Just who does she think she is?"

"The little sister of the most talented viola player to graduate from the academy in half a century," Toni said (un)helpfully. "Ivan plays first chair in college now. Nat has always been first chair, and she wants to be just like her brother. She's never actually harmed anyone."

"And that makes it alright?" she snapped. "She threatened Holly,_ idiota_. And you!" She whirled on a speechless Arthur. "You obviously knew that something like this would happen. Why didn't you say anything?" The hurt look in the junior's emerald eyes threw her off, but she was too upset to really care.

"I was right there the entire time," he promised. "Anya, I wouldn't have let anything happen. If you only ever believe one thing I tell you, believe that I care about your sister's well-being."

_Whoa,_ Holly thought._ I didn't think he cared that much._ Now that she thought about it, Arthur had looked absolutely _relieved_ when she walked out of the music building unscathed. _But that was just his normal display of concern, right?_ Wait; what was normal? She'd known the guy for what- a few hours?

"Y-Yeah, whatever," Anya sputtered. "Come on, Holly. It's time to go to class."

"Hey guys, where's room 811?" Holly asked, taking her time.

The boys simultaneously pointed to the field house. "It's through that door, down a flight of stairs, and at the end of the hall," Arthur instructed. "If you get lost, ask for 'the dungeon'. Good luck."

"Won't need it!" Holly waved and chased after her sister, who was waiting impatiently a few paces away. They walked the rest of the way in silence, pondering with growing dread what the next hour would hold.

"Well, I can see why they call it 'the dungeon'," the younger sister giggled anxiously. "This place gives me the skeevies."

Anya had to agree; the dim hallway, with its peeling paint, flickering lights, and strange sounds, looked like something out of an old horror film. "It's fine," she whispered, keeping a tight grip on Holly's arm nonetheless. "The classroom is at the end of the hall, right? That should be it."

Holly drew a guilty cheerfulness from being reminded that no matter how tough she acted, Anya still couldn't stand scary things. She squinted through the gloom to look at the faded numbers on the door.

"Yup, room 811," Holly smiled, tugging her twin along. "Let's go knock this mean teacher on his butt with how awesome we are!" Her jostling knocked some papers out of Anya's bag, and they fluttered to the floor.

"Sure, really awesome," Anya sighed. She gathered the papers, waving off her sister's help. "No, go on in. I'll be in there in a sec."

Holly shrugged and skipped the rest of the way to the end of the hallway. She opened the door and breezed into an almost empty room. There were maybe ten desks- only half of them occupied- an old blackboard, and a creaking teacher desk at the front.

The teacher, supposedly Mr. Souma, raised his head to appraise the new arrival. "How kind of you to join us, Miss Michaelis," he drawled, glaring her down. Holly's easy confidence evaporated as icy fear trickled into her ears. The man's eyes looked pitch black in the faulty lighting, and she was drowning, clawing desperately to get away before she-

"Sorry I'm late." Anya said stiffly, walking up behind her sister. She looked back and forth between Holly and Mr. Souma, who were still staring intently at each other. "Hey, snap out of it!"

Souma broke away first, blinking like a slow rabbit and seemed only mildly surprised to see a clone of Anya Michaelis standing behind the frightened girl. "You…are twins," he said confusedly. "Which one of you is Anya?"

"Right here," the correct twin smirked. "Nice to see you again so soon, Mr. Souma."

"Likewise," he glared, obviously meaning the opposite. Glancing at his watch and then the roster, he instructed the girls to take a seat; class was starting. Anya pulled her stunned twin over to a pair of graffiti covered desks in the back of the room.

"I won't insult your intelligence by telling you why you're here," Mr. Souma said. "Just know that if you do your part and listen, you will do well in this class." As he continued lecturing, Anya inconspicuously opened her spiral notebook and wrote a line. She nudged it into Holly's line of vision.

_Are you okay? You look like you're about to puke._

Holly bit her lip and pulled out her own notebook. The lines on the page were fuzzy.

_I think I'm having a panic attack_, she wrote. _The kind where everything's blurry._

_Draw me a giraffe._ Anya demanded.

_What?_

_Just do it!_

Holly scoffed quietly, but did as she was told. As she started concentrating on her drawing, her heart rate slowed and her breathing evened out. She sighed with relief and blinked the fluff from her eyes.

_Thanks. I'm okay now._

Anya always knew how to shake her out of the episodes. She smiled encouragingly when she read her note and turned back to the front. She wasn't surprised to see the other five students were all asleep; although she had been listening to Mr. Souma's voice, there had been almost no inflection to pique her interest.

"Miss Michaelis!" the teacher snapped.

"Yes?" The twins responded simultaneously.

"Please repeat to me everything I just said, Anya." He looked to the twin on his left.

"I'm Holly!" she said cheerfully.

"Right." He growled, irritated. "So Anya, _you_ tell me what I just said."

"You were talking about the end of the year book project," Anya said dutifully. "Historical or historical fiction."

"And before that?" he challenged.

"The textbooks cost seventy-five dollars if we lose them," she recited, confused. Why was he singling her out for this?

"And what, may I ask, is the first rule in this class?"

"To listen?"

"So why don't you do that, instead of trading notes with your sister?"

"She just told you everything you wanted to know!" Holly piped up. Her hands were shaking, but this guy was just being unfair! If there was any type of person she couldn't stand, it was mean, unfair people like Mr. Souma. "Why don't you call on someone else? They're all asleep!"

"I am well aware," Mr. Souma growled. "I take the first day to see who will make it in my class and who will not. These delinquents," he gestured idly to the snoring students. "Obviously need work. You two could actually have a chance of excelling in here if you follow one more simple rule." He slowly stalked back to their desks, planting one hand on each. He leaned in close so they could see the malice in his eyes.

"Do not cross me," he whispered. "Or I can make your high school experience a living hell. Are we clear?

Holly was frozen again, so Anya answered for them both. "Yes," she said clearly, and would be forever grateful that her fear didn't convey through her voice.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, _sir_," she ground out.

Mr. Souma smiled. "That's much better. I think we'll get along wonderfully, Misses Michaelis."

* * *

><p>"He's <em>horrible<em>!" Anya vented to Matthew as they exited their math class. She'd been relieved to see a friendly face after that torture. "He practically threatened us! How can the school put up with a teacher like him?"

"He _is_ really scary," the quiet boy agreed, shuddering. "I'm glad my brother warned me not to take his class. He's a junior, so I got a year of warning."

"You don't really act like a sophomore," Anya frowned. "Or like your brother, for that matter. But I thought he was a sophomore too…"

Matthew smiled. "Oh, you met Al, didn't you? We're sorta-kinda twins, like you and Holly." He looked around. "Where did she go, anyway?" School was over, and there were people streaming through the halls to get home.

"She probably ran off to meet some guys we met." Anya didn't want to blow up at Matthew about those jerks; she felt guilty enough for dumping all of her troubles from History on him. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess! Thanks for your help today!" With a quick smile to accompany her farewell, Anya plunged into the ocean of students. She eventually stumbled out of the crowd into the outdoor lunch area. Pulling a water bottle and her cell out of her bag, she took a gulp and sent Holly a message.

_Come out to the picnic tables. I'm waiting so hurry up and we'll go home._ Anya hit SEND and laid her head down on her arms, groaning as the tension drained from her neck, back, and shoulders. High school officially _sucked._

"Hey, sis!" Holly strolled up to her sister innocently, hands clasped lightly behind her back.

"Holly? There you are. What is it?" Anya looked up at her twin from where she sat at the stone picnic table, taking a sip of her water.

"Ugh. How can you stand plain water? It's so gross!" Holly made a funny looking face before sitting with her sister and giving her the best puppy dog eyes she could muster. "Is it okay if I go with Toni and Arthur to the mall after school today? Please?" She used her cutest begging tone, the one usually reserved for asking to cause havoc in any given music store.

"No, Holly. We've just met them, and I don't know if I trust them or not."

"I promise I'll be careful, Anya. We'll probably just eat dinner and see a movie. I'll be home by like, seven! Please?" She stuck her lip out and pouted, making fake tears come to her eyes.

"Ugh! Fine, you can go! But if you aren't home by seven, you're going to regret separating in the embryo."

Holly jumped up and hugged her sister tightly. That was the threat Anya always used when she really didn't mean it! "Thank you, sis! See ya when I get home!"

* * *

><p><em>If you wanna get with me, there's some things you gotta know. I like my beats fast<em>- Holly's ring tone cut off as she flipped her cellular open, a text from an unknown number flashing on the screen.

_Hey, me and Artie are waiting in the courtyard whenever you want to leave for the mall. ~Antonio._ The brunette smiled as she shut it sharply and ran to the small garden full of roses.

"Artie! Toni!" Holly grinned at the sight of the two sitting on a stone bench; Arthur was reading as always, and the other was fiddling with a couple of roses that he had picked. He smiled and handed one to Holly almost as soon as she walked up. "A pretty flower for una chica muy bonita," he winked at her. The shorter brunette simply giggled and placed it snugly in the front pocket of her jacket.

Arthur stood up and packed away his books. "I'm ready to go whenever you two are."

Holly nodded excitedly and stretched. "The school is so big! I'm exhausted from walking," she yawned and sighed again. "But let's go, okay? I've never been to the mall here; I want to see what they have!"

The trio started making their way towards the highway, streetlamps and buildings resting on either side of them. The air was hot, combined with the exhaust from the cars and humidity from rain that had fallen the previous night. They talked the entire time there, Arthur and Antonio mainly regaling Holly with tales of mad escapades in the shopping center. Even knowing that each story was more exaggerated and ludicrous than the last, Holly laughed with them, and felt closer to the two juniors for it.

"Here we are! This is the mall," Arthur pointed at the large building that was across the parking lot from them. Holly gaped at the mere sight of it; it was huge!

"Are you serious? Come on, then!" The teen laughed and raced the guys to the front doors, easily winning.

"Geez, you're fast," Arthur panted, surprised at such speed form such a slight person.

"Sorry. I was just excited." She smiled and bounced up and down. "Come _on, _let's go in!"

"Well, where do you want to eat dinner? I'm buying tonight!" Toni smiled and motioned for the food court.

"I dunno… Arthur, why don't you pick?" Holly offered.

"No!" Toni exclaimed, terror clouding his features. "A word to the wise, cariño; _never_ let Artie pick where to eat. We'll end up in a place that serves eel stew, or worse!"

"That flyer was very misleading," Arthur protested. "And that was _one time!_"

"Don't worry, Holly," Antonio said, as if Arthur hadn't spoken. "I've got a great place in mind!" And he led them to a small Italian restaurant.

"Oh, Lovi! I didn't know you were working tonight." The Spanish boy smiled and waved at a server in the restaurant. It was a younger boy, maybe around Holly's age. He had dark amber eyes, and a curl stuck out on the side of his head. A poke and a nudge from Arthur explained that this was Lovino Vargas, one of Toni's younger brothers.

"Toni, what are you doing here?" He scowled slightly at his older brother. "I told you guys not to come bother me while I'm working!"

"Don't be like that, _hermanito_," Antonio pouted, feigning hurt. "We just came to treat our new friend to dinner before we all go see a movie~"

"E-Eh?" Lovino finally noticed Holly, who waved shyly. Recognition sparked behind his eyes. "Aren't you in orchestra? Chamber, right?" He gave her a cautious smile.

"Yeah," Holly said, surprised. "First chair viola."

He nodded, as if a fear had just been assured. "I thought I recognized you. I'm the first chair cello. My brother is second chair, remember?"

Holly thought back to the class earlier in the day, suddenly recalling the boisterous pair from class. "Oh, I remember! I'm so sorry! It's just really confusing to meet so many people on the first day." She flushed in slight embarrassment.

The younger boy's scowl slowly softened into a sardonic smile. "It's alright, don't worry about it. Hey, I just clocked in; let me get you guys a table."

The Italian led them to a table near the back and had them waited on as soon as possible.

"So, what would you like to drink?" he asked, clicking his pen and looking at them expectantly. "We've got water, Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, and iced tea."

"You know us, hermano," Toni grinned. "Bring on the Pep, and let the Brit have his tea."

"Yeah, yeah," Lovi scoffed, scribbling a note. He turned to Holly. "And you?"

"Anything but water," Arthur answered for her, smiling knowingly. "You should really try the tea, Holly. It's not the same as a hot cup, but it isn't terrible."

"Um, sure," she said slowly, not voicing her confused thoughts. Had she mentioned earlier that she hated plain water? She couldn't really remember…

They talked quietly in the candle lit restaurant, happily eating whatever they had ordered. (Pizza for Holly and Antonio, and plain pasta for Arthur.) Lovi smiled when he took the check, telling his brother to only worry about half of it; he claimed he could handle the rest. They waved their good-byes and headed towards an escalator to go to the movie theatre on the second floor.

"I'm sorry, kids; all of the movies for today are sold out. We don't have any more tickets." The ticket lady informed the three teens. Their faces fell.

"O-Oh. That's okay. Thank you anyways," Arthur muttered as they walked away.

"Well, I don't have to be anywhere," Holly announced as they walked down the tile floors of the building, people walking by them. "So what do you guys want to do?"

Toni sighed as they leaned over the glass barrier railing and looked down at the bottom floor. "I actually need to go talk to Lovi. He looked a little spaced out earlier, so I want to check on him. Can I meet you guys in about an hour?" The others nodded and he waved while he walked back in the direction of the restaurant.

"Hey, Arthur?" Holly pointed a shop a few stores down from them, catching the blonde's attention. "Can we go in there? I wanna look at the dresses..." She blushed slightly. Arthur craned his neck to see a women's clothing shop next to Hot Topic. He had passed the place several times, but never really noticed it until now. The roof of the store was made of a crystal clear sheet of glass, allowing the fading colors of the sunset to fill the chamber with gold hues. He had to admit that it looked rather nice.

"Oh, of course. I don't mind." He followed her into the store, the bright light almost blinding them.

"Welcome! Can I help you find anything?" an overly peppy saleswoman asked Holly.

She simply smiled and shook her head. "Just lookin'!" Almost immediately, the teen found a dress that she wanted to try on. "Don't look Artie! I want it to be a surprise!" The words tumbled from the brunette's lips as she was led into a dressing room to try the outfit on. The roof of the store was made of a crystal clear sheet of glass, allowing the fading colors of the sunset to fill the chamber with gold hues.

"Come here, Artie! I want to know what you think!" Holly poked her head around the corner, a grin having crept its way onto her face. He stood up from the bench near the dressing room door and leisurely strolled over to the three mirrored wall, where Holly was admiring the unusual dress and turning to see it at every angle.

The top was styled like a corset; the ribbon was red, while the trimming was black and contrasted with the main fabric that was golden yellow. The bottom fluffed out into six layers, alternating the yellow, red, and black pattern. The front cut out to show a pair of shorts resting on her hips with a pair of knee high black boots. She turned to smile at him, her hair now pulled up into a high ponytail, fixed with a ribbon that was red, black, and yellow running lengthwise.

"What do you think?" Holly turned back to the mirror, admiring how it suited her in the sunset lighting. She thought it really brought out the brighter colors in her hazel eyes. She smiled at Arthur, looking at him in the mirror. Her eyes went wide for a second, an unfamiliar sensation filling her. Arthur flinched, the very same images filling his head as well.

_Holly stood alone, in the very same dress, sobbing. Afternoon sunlight filtered through a wide glass window, illuminating the dust motes in the air and the shimmering tears on her face. Arthur approached her and hugged her tightly in an attempt to comfort her. She wrapped her arms around him tighter, crying into his shoulder. _

Holly shook her head, coming back to reality. "A-Anyway, do you like it?" she fiddled with the top layer of fabric, blushing darkly. What a weird thought… Where had that whole scene come from?

"Of c-course! You look gorgeous- I-I mean nice!" He blushed even darker. Holly smiled at his words.

"Thanks, Artie. That's so sweet!" Suddenly, Arthur was very close to her, gently fingering the ribbon in her hair. Holly held her breath, unable to even blink; his eyes wouldn't let her. He was so close, close enough to-

Arthur jolted up when his phone started ringing, ruining the atmosphere between the two. He punched the 'TALK' button ruefully. "Yes? Oh, the dress store next to Hot Topic. Yes, she's fine. Right; cheerio." He flipped it back shut.

"Toni?" Holly guessed, catching her breath. _Stop blushing! Please, stop blushing!_

"Yeah, he'll be here in a few. Here, silly, take the dress off and change. I'll go pay for it."

"Eh?" Holly almost jumped out of her skin. "You don't have to do that!"

"Holly, you never know when you might need a nice dress. Plus, I have ticket money that I didn't get to spend." He reached forward and turned over the tag hanging off the back of the dress. "The whole outfit together is only... twenty dollars? And it's on sale! Don't worry about it; I'll take care of it."

Five minutes later, a red-faced couple exited the dress store, the girl clutching a slim box to her chest. They waited by the door until Antonio appeared.

"Ah, got a dress?" Toni grinned brightly.

"Yeah!" she smiled. "It's so pretty; you'll have to see it later. So, what do you want to do now?" As the trio walked on, chatting excitedly, two pairs of eyes watched silently from behind sunglasses and magazines. The shorter figure squirmed in her seat, pretending to read about the scandals of popular culture.

"Kiku," Anya hissed, nudging the boy's _Sports Weekly _aside. "I found them!"

"What do you think she bought?" Kiku stared as the trio walked down the pure white tiled walkway, the shortest still having a blush on her cheeks.

"Who knows? One of them probably bought her a dress. If they bought something to make her look indecent, I'll take you up on that offer of defense," the brunette growled as she slid the sunglasses back down her nose. "It makes me sick; those guys are such creeps, hitting on a freshman on her first day. I can't even look at them!"

"We could leave," he suggested. "We don't have to follow them at all, you know…"

"Say that again and I'll kill you," Anya promised, standing. "Now come on. While we're here, I actually have some shopping to do."

"Yes, ma'am." How had she convinced him to help her follow Holly around the mall? It had seemed like the right thing to do at the time, and Anya had sounded so anxious about her sister… Well, there was no backing out now.

"Thank you," she said suddenly. "I know it must be weird, just dragging you along here. So thanks for putting up with such an annoying kouhai."

Kiku didn't answer, but walked close to her side as they headed to the next shop. Any single guy roaming the mall looking for a date would have been out of luck; although they gave no physical indication of being together, anyone who happened to notice a couple of teens chatting in the corridors would never have thought that they had only met that day.

* * *

><p>"Can I ask you guys for some help? I need to find something for Anya. Our birthday is coming up, and I want to get her something really nice," Holly glanced up at the other two, pulling her wallet out. "I have my job money, and it's around eighty dollars… I want to get her a really pretty necklace with our birthstone. Do you know anywhere with nice necklaces that aren't going to cost a million dollars?"<p>

"There's the jewelry store on the bottom floor. It's on the other side of the mall though. We can just take the elevator if you want." Arthur motioned in the general direction of the shop.

"That sounds good!" the twin smiled as she ran for the elevator.

"Holly, wait!" The others ran after her as she jumped into the elevator by herself. The door closed quickly, and Holly realized too late that it was a very old elevator, with only one working light and limited space. It creaked ominously as it began a sluggish descent to the bottom floor. She felt like she was having a panic attack; dark, enclosed spaces were one of her biggest phobias!

"Crap!" Toni growled as he dropped his head, glaring at the doors. "If we run down the stairs, we should be able to get there before it opens. It's the slowest thing since turtles running through peanut butter." They nodded in agreement and basically flew down the three flights of stairs, reaching the bottom successfully before the elevator even landed.

"Come on…Open already!" Arthur groaned helplessly. He wasn't sure why but he had a bad feeling. That old elevator was downright creepy under normal circumstances, but going it alone from three floors up would be terrifying. The two waited for decrepit transportation device to open its doors so they could retrieve their friend. When it finally opened, they were greeted with the sight of a shaking girl in the very corner, crouched in a ball on the ground with her knees pulled up to her chest. The dress box lay next to her, forgotten.

"H-Holly?" Antonio was the first one to speak, stepping into the dim space. "Are you alright?" He knelt down and gently pulled her into a standing position.

"What's wrong, love?" Arthur laid a hand on her shoulder once they had her situated on a bench. He sat next to her with the box in his lap. There weren't many people around, so there wasn't going to be any questioning from anyone. Hopefully.

"P-Phobia… elevators… alone…" She muttered a few words, her face flushing with embarrassment.

"You're afraid of elevators?" the juniors asked at the same time.

"Only decrepit, slow ones like that one! I've seen too many horror movies." She groaned and took a deep breath. "But I should be fine now."

Once Holly had convinced them she was finally okay, they started down the halls once again until they reached the store that Arthur had spoken of. It wasn't large at all; there was a case for wedding rings, a case for charm bracelets, and a slightly larger case of birthstone jewelry.

"Hello, can I help you?" a soft voice greeted them. Holly looked up and instantly recognized who the owner was; it was Lili, Vash's younger sister. Although neither of them went to public school, Vash normally taught Lili at home. Lili had been the twins' first friend in their apartment complex.

"Hey, Lili!" Holly went to her and started talking to her and explaining to her why she was there. "Have you got anything cool that Sis would like?"

"You're both August, right?" Lili smiled as she started walking towards one of the cases. Holly nodded as she followed casually, excitement taking over her.

"We have some peridot necklaces right here, and I think Anya would really like this one…" She pulled out a golden chain with a pendant on it. The jewel was in the shape of a sparkling green heart. The peridot was darker than most, more green than yellow, but Holly had a feeling that it would go even better with her sister's eyes.

"Anya? What are you doing here?" Arthur's voice jolted Holly out of her admiration of the bauble and she turned around, feeling as if she was looking into a mirror. Her sister was indeed just outside of the jewelry shop, shoulder to shoulder with an unfamiliar raven-haired boy.

"Anya!" She grinned and bounced over to her and the boy. "_Dang_, sis! Who's the stud?" She smirked lightly as she playfully poked her sister's flaming cheek. "Is that your _boyfriend? ~_"

"Would it make you stop poking me if I said yes?" Anya growled. She hadn't meant anything by the comment, (Of course they weren't dating! They had just met, and she wasn't _that _desperate) but Holly's eyes widened considerably.

"Omygosh!" she squealed all in a rush. "Anya's got a boyfriend!" She turned to Arthur and Toni, who had followed her out. "Omygosh," she said again, unable to say anything else.

"Really?" Antonio said coolly, glaring at Kiku. The poor Japanese boy was trying to speak. His mouth moved uselessly, but no words would come out. Not that Holly would have given him a chance to speak, anyway. "I don't believe it," he decided, scoffing. "What girl in their right mind would date Toyota-chan?"

"And just what would be wrong with _Honda-kun?_" Anya challenged, straightening into a defensive stance. "Kiku happens to be a really cool, really _nice _guy. And please, learn basic honorifics before you try to make fun of someone, _bastardo_."

"So… You _are _going out?" Arthur said, confused. Stupid Antonio and his sarcasm… Personally, he didn't think that Kiku was that bad. But for some reason, Antonio had hated the kid's guts since his first day at the academy. "I'm completely lost, here."

"Y-Yeah," Anya stuttered, refusing to look Kiku in the eye. "Got a problem?" Her eyes dared Antonio to say anything negative.

"Not at all," he grimaced, a tick obvious in his jaw. "So you two get on with your little _date _while we help Holly pick out your birthday present." He drew an arm around the hyperactive girl, and she stopped bouncing to smile up at him.

Anya wanted to punch the grin right off of his face.

"Um, so I'll see you at home, right Anya?" Holly asked, oblivious to the tension in the air. That necklace was so pretty, and she was sure Anya would love it… But dear Lord, _her sister had a boyfriend!_

"Sure," Anya said more calmly. "Uh, bye!" She grabbed Kiku's arm and walked quickly back in the direction of the elevator.

"Well, that was weird," Holly frowned. "Do you think she didn't want us to know about them?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," Arthur said soothingly. "She seemed to like him an awful lot."

"That's true," she agreed happily. She returned to the jewelry store with a loud squeal. "Lili, you'll never guess what I just found out~"

* * *

><p>"Gomen, gomen, gomen!" Anya wailed, thunking her head into her folded arms once more. "I am <em>so <em>sorry!"

"I-It's fine," Kiku shushed her, feeling curious glances from others in the food court. "Just please, stop crying."

"I'm not crying," she grumbled, raising her head. It seemed to be true; there were no tears visible on the twin's face, but she was pretty close to giving in. "I'm sorry," she said, more quietly. "That guy just makes me so mad! It isn't fair how he's so mean to you for no reason. I guess I just wanted to, you know… get back at him somehow."

Kiku sighed and sat back in the creaking wooden chair. The hot pretzel place at the mall really needed to modernize, but they somehow never got around to it. He had insisted on treating Anya to some pretzel sticks and a smoothie, but they had ended up going Dutch. He lazily nibbled on his last cinnamon sugar treat as he tried to figure out how to calm his all-of-a-sudden-girlfriend down.

"Were you…?" he asked suddenly, breaking off at the stupidity of his question.

"Was I what?" Anya asked dreamily, apparently tuckered out from her momentary grievance.

"… You weren't trying to make him _jealous, _were you?"

"What?" she screeched, coming to life again. "That stupid jerk? Are you _insane?_"

"Just making sure," he smiled weakly. "I'm kind of relieved."

"What do you mean?" Anya asked, before realizing that, around the straw of her smoothie, it sounded more like _Rudder to bean_. "What are you talking about?" she tried again. "You knew I hated his guts."

"That's true," Kiku smiled. "But in all honesty… Did you really mean all of that? A-About me."

"You _idiot_," she groaned. "Of _course _I did!" She looked down at her empty cup. "Y-You _are _really nice and cool and cute like I said before."

"… You never said I was good looking."

"Well, I thought it."

"So does that mean-? I mean, would you like to-?"

"Y-Yeah… If you wouldn't mind it." Her face was burning, but she couldn't stop it.

"Why would I mind _that? _That would be very nice," Kiku smiled, more warmly then Anya could have expected. "You're really amazing, Anya-chan."

"Well, that's new," Anya laughed. "I got the opposite; instead of dropping an honorific, I gained one."

"Oh," Kiku blushed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I don't usually use them at all, because people think they're weird or don't understand them."

"I think it sounds awesome!" Anya gushed, eyes glinting as she tried out the name in her head. "Anya-chan… I like the sound of that. You don't have to worry; call me whatever you want."

Kiku shook his head. "Have I told you how incredible you are?"

"I could stand to hear it again~" she said innocently, and was thrilled when he laughed.

"Here, I'll go throw these away." He collected their trash and walked the short distance to the trash bin by the escalator. Anya sat there, hearing her sister's words clearly in her head. _Anya's got a boyfriend!_ Her words had proved to be a prophecy, and Anya smiled, realizing that she didn't mind one bit.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I admit it; I'm a sucker for Japanese stuff^^ I read in the back (front?) of a manga novel that calling someone by their first name with no honorific is really a pretty big deal. It's rude if you don't know the person well and it's a sign of respect or something if a person lets you drop the honorific. Just as a note, I'm making it kinda so Kiku used to live in Japan, and he still has little quirks from the culture. Spain is the Italys' big bro here, as you can tell, and America and Canada are both England's little brothers. Anya does <em>not <em>know that Mattie's related to Artie, but we'll assume that she figures it out soon enough XD. Whoo! Thanks for reading, and please review! We promise to _try _and keep it up over vacation! (Wi-fi permitting. Is there a net connection in an airport? XD)**

**~tworandomotakus~**


	11. Chapter 11

**Pardon me while I die. Sunburn _hurts_. My dear partner was supposed to update while I'm away, but since it is late and nothing's up, I shall do it. Thanks a lot, _Christina_.**

**Just kidding, doll. I'm working on the next chapter and releasing UV rays from my skin. Enjoy, you all!**

* * *

><p>"Happy Birthday, Sis!" Holly jumped onto her sister's bed and shook her awake, earning a groan of annoyance from her twin.<p>

"Yeah, yeah, happy birthday to you too…" The brunette yawned and stretched, looking at her clock; exactly five thirteen. Well, at least Holly hadn't woken her up at midnight like she used to.

"Okay, so today, since it's Saturday, I've planned a bunch of stuff for us to do!" Right. Saturday. Anya's day to sleep in was ruined by an overenthusiastic sister.

"Okay, Holly. Breathe. When's the first thing you've got planned supposed to start?" Anya rubbed her hair down and pulled it back into a ponytail.

"Right now! Oh, and I made you breakfast! Stay right here!"

She soon returned with a tray of Anya's favorite food; a stack of three pancakes (or as Anya called them, flapjacks), a glass of apple juice, a small glass container of syrup, and a small bowl of butter. "You got up just to make me breakfast?" Anya smiled at her.

"Yupp! Anything for my sis!"

After the purple eyed teen finished her breakfast (Oh my goodness, _maple syrup!_), she took a shower and pulled on a comfortable outfit; a pair of comfy blue jeans, red Converse, a band T-shirt from middle school, and a red and black jacket. After a quick shower, the other twin put on jeans, black converse, a Kingdom Hearts shirt, and a maroon hoodie from her old bowling team.

"Okay, the first thing we're gonna do is go get your hair done!" The older sister stopped dead in her tracks, the other following suit more smoothly as she looked back at her.

"We're going to do w_hat_?" Anya groaned.

"We're getting your hair done for our little party tonight!" Holly smiled as she dragged her sister into the salon they had discovered in their second week in living in their apartment. Anya hated to admit it, but they were good. Really good. An hour later, a straight-haired Holly dragged a curly-Q styled Anya out of the salon and babbled ceaselessly about their next stop. And boy, were there a lot of them…

It was an overly long day that was packed until seven o'clock solid. "There we go! We've done everything that needed to be done!" The hazel eyed girl pulled her phone out and checked the time. "And we even finished early! Man, I'm glad they had the movie I wanted to rent. C'mon, let's go home and open presents!"

The two always had a small party for each other, sometimes inviting a friend or two. They always celebrated on the weekend closest to their actual birthday; Anya on Saturday, Holly on Sunday. This year just happened to fall on a Saturday. They walked into the small apartment together, Holly flipping the light switch on to show a display of ribbons and balloons decorating the living room and kitchen.

"When did you…?" Her sister gaped at the sight.

"I did it while you were taking a shower and getting ready. After all, tonight's the night we celebrate your birthday so I wanted to make it super special." _And if you like this, you'll be floored by what else I've got planned~ _she added silently, squirming in excitement.

She made the special birthday dinner she always made Anya, (pasta with chicken; the only dinner food she could make entirely on her own) and after eating, got her presents. There were two larger wrapped box shapes, and then a smaller box wrapped in violet tissue paper.

The first box Anya opened was the medium sized one; it was a new sweatshirt that had a Pikachu on the front. Holly had caught her glancing at it almost every time she saw it at the store. The largest box was a new kimono styled dress that her sister had found at a consignment store, where someone had brought it in still in the original packaging. Even with the bright red and gold decaled pattern on the silky material, it only cost twenty dollars, so she had snatched it up immediately.

"Okay, and the last one is from-" _Ding, dong, ding, dong._ Their doorbell rang as Holly was cut off from her sentence. "I'll get it~" The brunette flung the door open to be greeted her sister's boyfriend.

"Come on in~ I'm getting ready to set the movie up, so you can just make yourself comfortable on the couch!" The overly cheery girl led him to the living room, and set up the movie.

"Who is she talking to?" Anya wondered as she rested her chin on the palm of her hand.

"Anya, come on! It's time for the movie! And just go ahead and bring the present in here!" Her sister winked and headed back out to the living room. She gave Kiku the thumbs up. "When she gets in here, you can go ahead and start the movie," she whispered. "I'll be… around."

"Holly, you really are- Kiku?" The brunette squeaked when she saw the raven haired boy sitting on the couch.

"Happy birthday, Anya-chan." He smiled and patted the spot next to him.

"Alrighty, I'm just going to get ready and go to bed." Holly exaggerated a yawn and walked slowly in the direction of the bedroom. Then the doorbell rang again. "Seriously?" she groaned. "Fudge a duck, for Christ's sake!" And after she had put so much effort into getting Anya and Kiku some nice, quiet alone time!

She tiptoed past the couch, where said lovebirds were enjoying popcorn, previews, and each other's company, and flung open the door. And thus, she was greeted with the presence of Antonio and Arthur.

"Come on, chica," Toni grinned. "We're going to go celebrate your birthday."

* * *

><p>"So what are we doing?" The brunette walked in the middle of the two juniors with a confused look on her face. She wasn't very familiar with this side of town; even a small place like this had a night life, she supposed.<p>

"Tonight is the night that we will take you somewhere absolutely amazing!" Toni grinned as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. The blond teen next to her blushed and looked away with a hint of jealousy in his eyes.

"And just where would that be?" she giggled.

"We're treating you to a night on the town!" Toni grinned as he opened the door to a small café, leading Arthur and himself in. A small band was setting up on the stage, and the scent of coffee wafted through the air. A waitress led them to a table in a corner and took orders for everyone; a hot tea, white hot chocolate, and a cappuccino.

The band was local, and they often did covers of other artist's songs. "Tonight, we'll be performing _Clocks_ and _Love Comes for Free_. We hope you like it!" The lead violinist smiled brightly as he counted off. The cello and viola started with a low chord, giving everyone chills. It was a moderately fast song; not too fast, but not too slow.

"Dance with me?" A voice shook the brunette out of her thoughts, looking up to see a hand extended towards her. She instantly took it and smiled at the taller Spaniard in front of her. Her gently rested an arm around her waist and started to move. She had trouble keeping up at first and kept tripping over her feet, but was soon twisting along with him. There were other couples out on the floor, but they hardly noticed.

"…_then I can love this Jesus too, because he once loved me_." The song ended and Holly looked up at him with a blush on her cheeks. The small crowd clapped as the two walked back to their seats, where Arthur was still drinking his tea. He glanced up at the two quietly.

"Holly, can I talk to you outside for a moment?"

"O-Of course." Holly gave him a confused look before walking to the outside of the building into the cool autumn air. "What is it?" Holly leaned against the building, watching her breath puff out in small clouds of hot air. Arthur was doing the same, looking straight up into the sky where their breaths mingled.

"Holly…I have feelings for you. I'm about to sound like an absolute idiot, but I don't care; it's like I _know _you from somewhere. Don't ask me how, but I feel … a connection with you." At this point, he had moved in front of her, resting a hand on the brick wall near her head. "I think I love you," he said softly. He leaned in, allowing her time to back away if she wanted, and kissed her softly.

She slid her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around his neck gently, tasting the bitter tea left on his lips. She was shy and uncertain, and Arthur didn't push her. After holding the kiss for only a moment, he pulled back and smiled at her with pink dusting his features. "Come on, let's go inside. It's getting colder out here." Arthur grasped her hand and interlocked their fingers, leading her into the café once again. Toni was on his phone, so once they sat Holly separated their fingers.

"Where do you want to go now?" The Spanish boy smiled at her, closing his phone and sliding it back into his pocket. The sounds of Coldplay's _Clocks_ rang through the chamber as Holly thought about it.

"Let's just go walk around the park!" she suggested. "It's really pretty at night." The trio set out for the twilit area, the street lights illuminating enough so they could see where they were going. Eventually, they retreated to a bench under an old-timey lamp post.

"Arthur, I need to talk to you really quick..." Antonio looked uneasy, and his tone was urgent. Arthur frowned and the two of them excused themselves behind a tree, promising to only be a moment. Holly decided not to worry about it, and enjoyed looking up at the moon through the trees.

"What is it?" Arthur asked as soon as they were out of Holy's sight. "Is something wrong?"

"You made a move on her." Antonio wasn't asking; he _knew_.

"She's special, Toni," he said gently. "I'm in love with her. How else could I explain this?" His hand clutched gently over his heart, Arthur looked just like a poet in the thralls of new love.

"You think I don't know that?" Toni hissed. "Admit it; we've both been feeling strange since we met her. But how can this really be _love? _We haven't known her for a week!"

"I just know," Arthur said simply. "Look, Toni; I'm your friend, and I want to see you happy. But I'm not going to let this go."

"Neither am I, amigo." Antonio's jaw was firm. "I'm far from giving up. Now let's go back before Holly thinks we ditched her."

"Would she think that?" Arthur wondered aloud. The two boys looked at each other and decided. Yes, she definitely would.

* * *

><p>"Well hello there, little one." An unknown voice knocked Holly out of her thoughts. She jumped up, startled, as a man stepped into the circle of lamplight near the bench, grinning childishly. He was wearing a scarf, which even for the chilly night was a bit much. His accent was hard to place, and there was a drunken look in his eyes- <em>They look a little like Anya's<em>, Holly noted- that she didn't like at all. He looked at her in concern. "Isn't it dangerous to be out here alone? Come with me, da?"

"N-No, I'm waiting for my friends..." Holly evaded. She backed up warily and turned to run when a strong arm grabbed her own and yanked her back toward him. "Arth-!" she screamed out before her mouth was covered by a large hand. Tears sprang to her eyes as she struggled, shrieking.

"What's going on- Holly!" Antonio growled before running forward and tackling the older man to the ground, knocking him away from Holly. She fell back, stunned, right into Arthur, who sat her gently onto the bench before jumping in to help Antonio.

"Ivan, you bastard! Just what the heck do you think you're trying to pull?" Even with his blood boiling, Arthur reminded himself that he was a gentleman and refrained from using overly coarse language in front of a girl. After a brief scuffle, Arthur had Ivan Braginski with his arms pinned behind his back and Toni had a fist clenched in the fabric of his scarf.

"I told you, Braginski; next time you come on to one of my friends while you're rat-faced I'll freaking clobber you!" He reared back to punch him before a thin pair of hands clamped onto his elbow.

"Let him go, Toni. Please, don't hurt him." Holly's voice was quiet, but it held more sway over the raging Spaniard than she would ever know. His muscles clenched in disapproval, but Toni finally relaxed and drew away, hugging Holly tightly. He was afraid that if he didn't, he was sure to do something regrettable.

Arthur shoved Ivan away from him. "Go on, Braginski. Screw off." The man threw each of the younger boys a crazed glare before stumbling back into the night. Arthur winced, massaging his sore hands, and turned back to his friends. "Holly, love, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah," she stammered, the full enormity of what had just happened sinking in. "Was that really Natalia's older brother? The one you told me about?"

"Unfortunately," he confirmed. "I don't know what he was doing out here at this time of night like _that_, but… Are you _certain _he didn't hurt you?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, untangling herself from Toni's arms to inspect Arthur more closely. "He didn't hurt either of you, did he? Should we go to the hospital?"

"We've had far worse, _querido_," Toni winked, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't worry about Ivan; he'll wake up with a killer headache, and probably won't even remember anything. I'm sorry your birthday turned out like this, though…"

"What are you sorry about? You guys totally saved me," Holly said sincerely. "Thank you."

"What are dashing chaps like us for, love?" Arthur wrapped an arm loosely around her waist, and she leaned into him with a content smile."So, are you ready for your presents? I got you one and Toni got you one too..." Arthur trailed off and smiled down at her, making her heart melt.

"I-I guess. Can we go in somewhere, though? It's getting colder..."

Antonio smiled. "Of course, chica. Let's go back to my place. I live nearby, and that's where your presents are."

Once they got to Toni's house, they hung up their coats and sat in front of the fireplace. "Do you want go first, Toni?" Arthur looked at his best friend, trying to make up for their argument earlier.

"Sure, I don't see why not." He rose and walked over to the mantle, picking up a small wrapped box. The Spaniard handed it to her gently. "I had to hide it from Feli and Lovi," he explained. "Go ahead, open it."

She gently removed the paper and opened the velvet box, gasping. The ring inside of the container had a ruby shaped like a small rose atop a silver band. The inside of the box contained a picture the two had taken the day they went to the mall. "Oh my God, Toni... This is way too much!" She looked up at him before leaning forward and hugging him tightly. She kissed his cheek in appreciation, making him grin happily.

"My turn. Here you go, love." The Brit handed the freshman a box that was slightly larger than the other and was wrapped in sparkly white paper.

"Arthur..." she breathed. "You didn't have to do this..." She stared in awe at the necklace that was in the box she unwrapped. On the front of the locket was a small, jeweled Union Jack, while the inside of the locket had a picture of Holly and Anya sitting at the oak tree. Anya was reading, as usual, and Holly was fast asleep.

"I love it, Arthur! It's beautiful." She kissed his cheek and hugged him as well.

"Like you," he whispered in her ear, making her giggle. He pulled back and said, "It's no problem, really. Oh, and here!" He dug through his pockets until he found a gift card to the local used bookshop. "Give this to Anya for us, won't you? Just don't tell her who it's from until she accepts it," he laughed. "I remembered you saying that she wanted to check it out, so this is her birthday gift, from the two of us."

"Aw," Holly cooed. "You guys are the best! She'll love it, and I won't even have to force her to thank you!"

"Holly," Toni started, hesitating. "Does… Does Anya really hate us that much? I don't want to cause you trouble or anything."

"She doesn't really hate anyone," she smiled happily. "She's really overprotective, for sure. But Anya wouldn't want to keep me away from my friends. And since she met Kiku, she's gotten so much happier. If she feels anything about me like I feel about her, then I know she wants me to be happy, too."

"That's a relief," Antonio murmured. He looked at the floor. "Are you ready to go home, Holly? We've probably kept you out long enough…"

"Maybe a little longer?" Holly asked. "I want to give them enough time."

"… To do what?" Arthur asked warily. Holly laughed and punched him lightly.

"It's not like that," she chuckled. "But have I ever told you that Anya absolutely _hates _scary movies?"

"You _didn't_," Toni gasped, grasping the devious twin's plan.

"She did," Arthur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What on earth did you rent them?"

* * *

><p>"That must have been the guys," Anya sighed. "Remind me to call the cops if they're not back by eleven." She shyly edged closer to Kiku on the couch, poking his arm gently to emphasize her request.<p>

"Couldn't you just call Holly?" he laughed. She looked up at him with an expression that clearly stated, 'Don't mess with the big sis.'

"Well, I have to say that I'm pleased," he changed the subject quickly. "I really wanted to spend some time alone with you, Anya-chan." He transferred the bowl of popcorn from his lap to the table to intertwine his fingers with hers.

"Me too," she smiled, loving the warmth of his hand in hers. "Did Holly plan this? Or did she fall apart and ask for your help?"

"She wanted you to enjoy your birthday." Kiku dodged the question in an admirable attempt to preserve Holly's dignity. Anya didn't really need to know just how erratic her little sister's plans had been before he had stepped in. "D-Did she show you your gifts?"

"Oh, yeah," Anya remembered. She reached over and grabbed the last small box from the arm of the couch. She hadn't really looked at it before, but it was wrapped differently from the others. It was more… Oh, who was she kidding? It was beautiful. The box was perfectly packaged in shiny, metallic purple foil, and a thin silver ribbon crossed both ways to meet in a cute bow in the center. A shiny tag hung from the bow, and Anya found slim kanji script on one side.

"To the girl I fell for," Kiku read softly over her shoulder. "Happy Birthday, Anya-chan."

"Sh-Should I open it?" she asked. She had read somewhere a long time ago that opening gifts in front of the giver could be considered rude… She'd never had these kinds of problems with Holly.

"Go on," he encouraged. "Just open it before _my _birthday comes around." Anya didn't need any more prompting. Making sure to keep the tag safe, she ripped through the paper to reveal a rectangular box bearing the logo of the jewelry store where Lili worked. She pried the lid off, and found a beautiful gold necklace with a bright green heart pendant. The jewel winked at her in the dim light, as if saying hello. It was without a doubt the most beautiful thing Anya thought she had ever held.

"Kiku," she breathed. The tip of her finger hovered just above the surface of the heart. She was almost afraid to touch it, lest it disappear. "Kiku, I- You- Amazing," she said at last.

"You like it?" he grinned sheepishly. Anya immediately averted her gaze from the necklace to his face. In lieu of a verbal answer, she gently closed the case and shifted so that her legs were tucked behind her across the couch and she was leaning more insistently against Kiku's shoulder. "A-Anya?"

"I like _you, _baka," she hummed contently. "I never thought I'd be happy about knocking someone down."

Kiku wasn't overly surprised by this reaction; Holly had warned him that Anya would be more touched by _him _than the jewelry. He had found the younger twin in the mall only days ago, despairing that she didn't have enough money left to buy the necklace. He had been looking for a gift anyway, and that was when they had planned the movie date.

"I've never been happier about being knocked down," he agreed. He settled in closer to Anya, and his eyes were drawn to the television screen as the previews finally ended. An eerily familiar scene unfolded onscreen, making him jump. Anya squawked as the jolt knocked her head from her boyfriend's shoulder to his lap, giving her no warning or time to catch herself.

"Oof!" she exclaimed, looking up at him irritably. "Hey, what's the big deal?" Her protests were rendered useless as a humiliated blush crept up her neck.

"Did Holly say what movie she was renting?" Kiku whispered. Anya sat up and shook her head, studying the opening credits. It looked harmless enough, with a nice, clean-looking suburban neighborhood panning across the screen. Judging from the style and quality, it was a pretty old movie, maybe from the eighties. Some little girls were jumping rope in their yard. Big whoop.

Suddenly, the name Johnny Depp flashed before their eyes, and Anya shook her head with a grin. Holly was absolutely _obsessed _with the pirate/chocolatier/vampire/hatter/cop, so it made sense that she had picked out one of his older films. Her grin faded when she recalled that most films involving Depp also involved very awkward love scenes.

"W-Why do you ask?" she asked nervously. "I-Is there something wrong with this one? What's it called, anyway?"

Kiku couldn't answer. He merely pointed to the title that blazed onto the television. _A Nightmare on Elm Street._

* * *

><p>"I'm going to throttle her," Anya squeaked from behind her fingers. "Why is she so sadistic?" <em>Splash<em>. More blood. She groaned and hid her face in the crook of Kiku's neck, too creeped out to be embarrassed about their… position.

The beginning of the movie had been calm enough, and Anya had convinced herself that, despite Kiku's worried glances, the movie wouldn't be so bad. And then came the awkward part. Yeah, _that _awkward part. Anya had felt Kiku's pulse through his hand, and the jackrabbit pace had deluded her into thinking that this was the worst of it, and that he'd just been worried about this specific scene. She had smiled, utterly charmed by her boyfriend's chaste attitude.

And then came the nightmare. And the blood. And Freddy. The instant that the freaky murderer had appeared, Anya had screeched like a little girl and flung herself into Kiku's lap. He had immediately offered to get up and turn the move off, (the remote was on top of the console where Holly had left it, useless) but she had refused, clamping both of her trembling arms around him in a desperate hug. And so there they were, thirty minutes later, jumping every time Freddy spoke.

Kiku had long since relaxed into the embrace, although he was nervous at first. While Anya was much too distracted by being spastic to really take notice of her surroundings, Kiku was acutely aware of every movement and breath. As he wound his arm around Anya's waist, he thought that maybe she secretly wanted to be taken care of like this more often. She tried so hard to comfort and guide Holly that it was a real experience to break down and be comforted by someone else.

"I-Is it over?" Anya whispered. The film had been pretty quiet for a while, so she risked a peek.

"Don't look," he said quickly, pulling her back to his chest. Seconds later, another fountain of blood gushed up on screen. "Why don't we just turn it off?"

"No," she said, muffled. When she looked up at him, Kiku could clearly discern the flush on her cheeks. "It's my birthday, right? So don't go anywhere." She nuzzled him gently to show him what she meant; even the bloodbath wasn't so bad, because it meant that they were together, just him and her.

"Alright, alright." He held her closer, smiling to himself. "I'm not exactly complaining, you know." A sharp poke reprimanded him, and he kissed the top of her head apologetically. "I love you, Anya-chan," he whispered into her hair. He half expected a sardonic, flustered retort, but Anya surprised him by making a content sort of mewl and snuggling closer.

"Te amo, tambien," she said lightly. Kiku's heart skipped a beat; although he had told her before, this was the first time she had actually spoken the words, 'I love you'. He didn't even mind the Spanish. It was just another one of Anya's cute quirks.

"I'm glad," he admitted. "I was afraid you were never going to say it. Anya?" Kiku pulled back to look at her, and the small disturbance drew a quiet hum from somewhere in her subconscious. Anya had fallen asleep with her ear over his heart and her fingers balled into the fabric of his shirt.

He shook his head slowly and tucked her head into the hollow of his throat, resting his chin on her head lightly. It wasn't uncomfortable or awkward; it was cozy and warm and very much _them_. With the movie nearing its end, Kiku fell into a peaceful sleep. His dreams, at first a muddle of memories and thoughts, soon gave way from nonsense to something much more concrete.

_He crept along under the cover of darkness, with not even a sliver of moonlight to betray his presence. Various rogues were eating, drinking, and making merry around the brightly lit deck. That wouldn't do. He needed to find someone close to the edge, someone who wouldn't be immediately missed. There; two crewmen were leaned over the rail, looking sick to their stomachs. Following the curve of the ship with silent steps, he took them out without a struggle. The men were dressed moderately well compared to some of the others- they might even be deputies. Admiral Hikoe would be pleased. _

_The scene shifted. He was in full uniform, addressing the prisoners they had captured. He disliked this aspect of naval command. The histories of most hired mercenaries were similar; loss of family, capture and conversion, and life under fear of a captain. These poor souls didn't deserve it, but it was for the sake of all of their futures. _

_So he remained neutral and delivered the admiral's message. It went as expected until one of the men called out to him. The Spaniard explained the situation of the only female in the group, a young girl with long brown hair._

"Honda? Hey, Kiku!"

_He cut the girl free, wondering what idiot had had the gall to capture a girl on the raid. She moaned, holding her head._

_"Are you alright?" he asked, caught between courtesy and caution._

"Aw, how cute!"

_The girl was finally able to stand. She brushed a few stray locks behind her ear, and her eyes fluttered open to blink sleepily at him. They were a beautifully familiar shade of violet._

"Toni, leave them alone. They're alright."

"I'm just waking him up so he can go home."

Kiku snapped into wakefulness, somehow with the sense not to jostle the sleeping Anya. Antonio leaped back in surprise.

"It's nearly eleven," Arthur whispered from behind the couch. His back was hunched under the weight of a dozing Holly. "We should probably clear out. Can't have the neighbors making wild assumptions, can we?"

Kiku nodded, and carefully stood up from the couch with Anya in his arms. He took a moment to get a good grip under her knees and back and to situate her head on his shoulder. Anya grumbled, but didn't wake up.

"What a sound sleeper," Toni noted with a grin. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "How did have get so tired out, Honda?"

"You pervert, I-!" Kiku stopped talking and wordlessly followed Arthur to the twins' room. After they deposited the girls on the mattress, the Brit shook out the quilt at the foot of the bed and covered them up.

"She got tired on the way home," he informed without being asked. He shook his head. "For a teenager, she's really quite a child."

"They both are," Kiku agreed, smiling tenderly. "Deep down, at least. We should go." They slipped out of the room silently and joined Toni in front of the television. He was putting the movie back into the rental box.

"That's our girl," he chuckled, showing it to Arthur. "It was muy divertido, eh Honda?"

"You're calling me by my correct name," Kiku said instead. "What happened?"

Antonio smirked. "Holly wants me to be nicer to you. For Anya's sake. It was her idea of a special birthday present. Why? Disappointed?"

"No, I'm glad." Kiku took the movie from him casually. "It will make Anya happy if we are all on better terms." He pulled on his jacket and gestured for them to all leave. "I'm going to run this by the drop box, so I guess this is goodnight. I'll be seeing you." He nodded his head politely and left.

Arthur waved cheerily as Toni closed the door behind them. "I'm glad that you're finally giving the kid a break, mate," he teased. "Honestly, Holly really is the best thing that's ever happened to you."

"I don't like it, Art." Antonio kept pace with Arthur as they walked down the sidewalk, kicking up leaves as they went. "There's something about him that makes me anxious."

"Come on, Antonio. He's a good kid. Did you see the way he looks at Anya? It's like he'd jump in front of a bus for her."

"I know," Toni groaned. "So why do I feel like he's the one who pushed her into the street?"

"You're imagining things," Arthur scoffed. "It's late, and we've both had a rough night. Get some sleep, okay? I'm off."

"Hasta," Toni said offhandedly. He was relieved when he finally arrived home, tiptoeing into his room and falling into bed with his clothes on. Sleep offered a chance to rest his overworked body and mind. It gave him something much more.

_German. Flying the colors. Here for a fight. He had never spoken truer words. The enemy was everywhere, and they were after the maps. One was the compilation of his entire career; gold, jewels, antiques. The other was Arthur's, painstakingly reconstructed from the original, now gone down with the_ Reina Marie. _The blond captain was fighting alongside him, tearing into the German crew. _

_Suddenly, a flash of grey caught his eye. The girls were fighting as well! He had to admit that they were handling it well, and hardly needed Javier's assistance. Pride welled up within him as he watched Holly and her sister work as a team to help their cause. _

_He and Arthur were comforting Holly. She cried, missing Anya. He felt the fear of her paralysis attack, and the joy of dancing to a lovely piano tune. The despair when he realized that Arthur loved her just as much as he did. _

_Holly grasped his hand as they flew across the wishes. They split up, but her scream drew him back to her like a magnet. A nameless officer had her in his grasp, laughing as he took her away. He took Holly's red ribbon in his hands and swore to save her. _

_Then the colors, the wind scorching his ears. One of the girls reached out to him, and-_

Toni sat up in bed, breathing hard. Rolling over, he caught a glimpse of his clock and groaned. It was a quarter to five. On a _Sunday_.

"Dios," he breathed, still panting. He pushed the sweat-plastered hair away from his eyes and shuddered. "What _was_ that?"

"Fratello?" a sleepy voice yawned. Toni jumped, but relaxed when he saw his youngest brother in the doorway. He was in his green striped pajamas and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Are you okay? You didn't just get in, did you?"

"Of course not," Toni sighed. "I just had a weird dream. Go back to sleep, Feliciano."

"Okay~" The younger boy smiled and shuffled back to his and Lovino's room. "Buono notte, Tonio."

"Sweet dreams, Feli." Antonio didn't bother to change; he'd be up again in a few hours. Even so, he pulled off his jacket and chucked it to the side. As he did so, something caught at his arm.

Toni's eyes widened when he saw the bright red ribbon fastened to his sleeve. "Sweet dreams," he repeated softly to himself. "If only."

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was originally longer, but I cut it up... basically because I'm lazy^^ It's hard to coordinate with a time difference. We'll get this done soon, I promise! Until next week!<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey everyone! This is Christina, and her derpy ways. xD I volunteered to do this weeks Author's Note for one main reason: I want to take a poll/vote/...thingy. We allllll know Kiku and Anya are gonna end up together (lets face it. No one can deny the adorableness.) BUT. Who is Holly gonna end up with? THe Flirtatious Spaniard Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, or the Gentlemanly Brit Arthur Kirkland? WHAT DO YOU THINK? **

**.****..Maya and I alraedy have an idea, but we wanted to see what you guys think! ^^ So after you read this week's update/chappy/chapter/thingamabobber, click the little link that says "Review" or "Leave a review" or SOMETHING like that and let us know what you think! Enjoy this weeks chapter, and hope you enjoy!**

**~Two Random Otakus do not own Hetalia. Cause if they did, it probably just be all about pirates and seafarrers and twins (oh my!) They only own Anya and Holly, which belong to Maya and Christina respectively, yo.~**

* * *

><p>Holly awoke to the sound of bacon grease and off-key Gaga. She yawned quietly, the quilt slipping from her shoulders as she sat up and stretched her stiff arms.<p>

_When did I get home?_ she wondered. She remembered leaving Toni's house, whining about the walk... Holly's cheeks burned when she remembered Arthur crouching down and letting her climb onto his back.

_He actually carried me home_, she trilled inwardly. _That's so cute!_

After quickly changing clothes and pulling her crazy bed-hair into a haphazard ponytail, Holly bounced into the kitchen, where she found her sister jamming out by the stove.

"She's not broken. She's just a ba-by," Anya sang. "But her boyfriend's like a dad, just like a- Aw crap, the bacon!" She hurried to flip the sizzling meat before it crisped.

"That smells great," Holly chirped, giving Anya such a fright that she burned her hand on the stovetop.

"_Owowowowow_," she hissed through clenched teeth. Holly rushed forward and turned off the heat while Anya ran cold water over the burn.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "It's not like third degree or anything, is it?"

"I think I'll live," the older twin laughed. "It's what I get for actually trying to cook. This, dear sister, is why they invented Jimmy Dean." She pulled her hand out of the sink and inspected it carefully. The heel of her hand was red and angry looking, but she was otherwise unharmed. "Anyway, Happy Your-half-of-the-Birthday, Holly!"

"My, aren't we cheerful today?" Holly grinned back. "What could have possibly happened to make you sing Lady Koo-Koo and make a burn so insignificant? Oh, sorry. Should I say 'who'?" She hadn't missed the presence of the peridot heart.

"Shut up and eat your bacon." Anya forked over a plate with eggs, bacon, and toast, as well as a big glass of milk.

"Yes, ma'am!" The younger twin sat at the table and promptly started stuffing her face. Anya joined her with her own plate, using the toast to make a sandwich. "So really; what happened last night?" Holly was dying to know.

"Kiku gave me a necklace." Anya smiled dreamily and twirled the chain around her finger. Seeing her sister so happy and wishy-washy was almost a shock for Holly. She could even see a light blush cross the older girl's features at the mention of her very first boyfriend. It was so cute!

"And then," she continued. "We watched..." she trailed off, giving Holly a slightly hurt look. "Oh, Holly, how could you?"

The younger twin frantically shoveled more food to occupy her mouth so she wouldn't have to answer right away. "I'm sorry, sis, but I couldn't stop myself. I knew you'd be okay because Kiku was there, so..." Holly looked up with beseeching eyes. "Don't kill me?"

"Well, it is your half of the weekend," Anya sighed. "So I won't murder you. As long as you got home before eleven last night. It's too dangerous to be out that late, even with the guys."

"You don't know?" Holly said, wide-eyed. She rubbed her arm gingerly. "Didn't you let us in last night?"

"I-I think I fell asleep..."

"Me too!"

The twins looked at each other, and then around the apartment. Anya flew over to the door and jiggled the doorknob. It opened without a struggle, meaning that someone without a key had left the apartment.

"So if you weren't awake and I wasn't awake..." Anya gasped, mortified. "Oh my God, Holly!"

"You actually fell asleep during _A Nightmare on Elm Street_!" was all Holly could think to say.

* * *

><p>"So what are we doing here?" Holly asked. The mall wasn't very crowded, seeing as it was Sunday. Anya had instructed her to dress semi-nicely, vetoing her desire for jeans and a sweater. She felt out of place in the casual shopping center.<p>

"You'll see," the secretive girl smiled. "We'll be leaving soon, anyway. I just need to see Lili."

"But sis-!"

"No buts, Holly," Anya chided. "You dragged me around all day yesterday. Let me run one errand. Trust me; by the time the day is over, you'll be singing my praises as the best sister ever."

So Holly waited patiently outside the jewelry store while her sister and Lili giggled and whispered.

_She must be getting something for Kiku,_ Holly frowned. _But what could he want from here?_ She soon forgot her thoughts as Anya emerged from the shop and led her, smiling all the way, out of the mall and into the street.

Although daylight made a huge difference, Holly recognized the route almost right away. "Hey, Anya! Did you know that Toni lives near here?"

"Really- does he?"

"Oh, that's his street!"

"Uh-huh."

"Why are we turning here?"

"Gosh, you're dense. Just follow me." They walked in silence until a familiar house came into view. A sudden banging shocked the tranquility of the neighborhood.

"Carriedo! Open up, da?" Anya craned her neck to see a young man in a trench coat smashing his fist against the front door of Antonio's house.

"Who the heck is that?" she wondered aloud. "Holly, is he friends with-?" She broke off when she realized that Holly had stopped walking, and was already a few paces behind her. "What is it? Do you know that guy?"

"That's Ivan Braginski," Holly whispered, turning pale. "I met him last night in the park."

"_He's_ Natalia's music-prodigy brother?" Anya whistled. "He looks more like a boxer. What's he doing here?"

"W-Well, at the park... He was sorta... Drunk." She winced, waiting for Anya to blow up.

"What did he do?" she asked instead, surprisingly calm and patient.

Holly blinked. "I don't really know. Toni and Artie were talking- they didn't leave me alone, they were behind some tree- and he came up to me. I freaked out, so I tried to run and he grabbed me." It still seemed unreal, as if she was describing a dream instead of an actual event.

"Duck!" she squealed, pulling Anya behind a rhododendron bush. She peeked over the top and quickly bobbed back down. "I hope he didn't see us."

"Belt up, Holly," Anya sighed, standing up again. "We're too old to be skulking around in bushes. We're sixteen now. So if you want your party, we're going across. Just... Wait a minute, okay?" She brushed the dirt from her knees and simply crossed the street to tap Ivan on the shoulder.

"What?" he snapped. A strange look crossed his face, and his bloodshot eyes narrowed in recognition. "I... I know you, da? Were you with Carriedo while I was...?"

"Under the influence?" she offered. "Maybe. That depends on what you remember."

"I think I was totally plastered~" Ivan smiled serenely. "And then a couple of high school bastards jumped me. But you told Tonio not to hit me, da? Thank you."

"Sure thing," Anya smiled back. "But do you remember anything before the fight?" From the corner of her eye, she saw a doe-eyed boy peeking at her over the windowsill. He looked terrified. Anya automatically shifted so that Ivan would have to face away from the house to address her. "Something about me?" she prompted.

"That's right!" Ivan exclaimed. "You were alone in the park. That's very dangerous, you know. I never let my sisters stay outside alone when it's dark."

"So you set an example for them by getting stoned and grabbing at defenseless girls in the middle of the night?" Anya snarled, taking the Russian by surprise. "What kind of big brother are you? Do you know how much Natalia idolizes you? It would break her heart if she knew about this."

"You wouldn't tell her, would you?" For the first time, Ivan looked scared. "Please, I'm not in control of myself when I'm like that!"

"I won't tell," she promised, keeping eye contact. "But you leave Antonio Carriedo and Arthur Kirkland alone. And please, tell your charming little sis to be a little nicer to Holly Michaelis, won't you? She'll do anything for you, so watch what you do from now on."

"I am not used to being lectured by a child," Ivan glared.

"Children aren't used to being assaulted," she shot back. "Now please go. You've disturbed the peace long enough, and I have a previous engagement."

The Braginski boy left, grumbling, and hyperactive siblings seemed to pour from every direction. Holly scampered across the street, and two very similar boys flung open the door to the Carriedo household.

"Ve~" One of the boys latched onto Anya's arm, crying. "Thank. You. An. Ya. I. Did. Not. Want. To. Die!"

"Yeah, you run away!" the other boy jeered. (As soon as Ivan was out of sight.) "Suck it, you vodka bastard! You just got it handed to you by a freaking girl!"

"Lovino, stop it!" Holly wailed, terrified.

"Fratello, he'll come back!"

Both younger siblings of the group tried to quiet Lovino, but it was Anya who eventually restored order to the conversation.

"Lovino!" she shouted. "Where's your bastardo of a brother? I told him we'd be here at three."

"He and Arthur went out to get some stuff," Feli answered brightly, instantly putting away the crocodile tears. "He said to watch the house and let you in when you got here, but then scary Mr. Ivan came and started yelling, ve!"

"I totally could have taken him," Lovi cut in. "But my stupid little brother started crying and I couldn't do anything."

"Of course," Anya sighed, patting Feliciano awkwardly on the head. "Do you know when they'll be back?"

"In about three seconds," a cheerful voice laughed. Toni and Arthur cut across the grass, each loaded down with bags and boxes.

"We got everything, Anya," Arthur grinned, hefting a big white box. "Sorry we're late, but we had to take a little detour."

"It's okay, Artie." Holly opened the door for the guys to go in. "We saw Ivan; don't try to hide it from us."

"What happened?" Antonio demanded instantly. He dumped his bags on a chair and waved everyone into the living room.

"Ve~ Fratello, Anya told him off and he left! But he was banging on the door really loudly, and my ears were-!" Said twin gently shushed Feliciano and explained it in a much more calm and efficient manner.

"I don't think he'll bother you guys again," she predicted confidently. "I used sibling guilt; no matter how big of a jerk they are, any big brother or sister will do anything for their hermanitos." Anya looked extremely pleased with herself.

Feliciano got a little misty-eyed and suddenly switched from clinging to Anya's arm to crushing the breath out of Lovino. "Uwah~" he cried. "I love you, too, Lovi!"

"Let go of me, you idiot!"

"A-Anya, can we talk?" Arthur asked quietly. He nodded to the next room, which happened to be the kitchen. When she followed him in, he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Anya, I am so sorry about Ivan. We shouldn't have been out so late, and we left her alone over a stupid argument."

He looked over into the living room wistfully, where Holly was looting through the bags of things the boys had brought. She laughed at the various decorations, and gasped hungrily when she saw the cookie cake. All in all, she looked about six years old instead of sixteen. It made Arthur's heart ache to ask his next question. "She isn't hurt, is she?"

"There're only a few bruises, I think," Anya whispered. "She doesn't know I noticed, but there's a huge bruise on the inside of her arm. And she looks stiff when she walks, like her side hurts."

"I think Ivan grabbed her by the arm," Arthur explained ashamedly. "And when Antonio knocked him away, I caught Holly when she fell. I bet that's why she's sore." He discreetly rolled up his sleeve to reveal light bruising up and down his forearm. "It was a hard fall. If it did this to me, I can only imagine what it's like for her."

"He remembers her face," Anya growled. "And he remembers fighting Antonio. I think Ivan just wanted to know why they were fighting, you know?"

"I'm so sorry," Arthur said again. The dejection in his voice drew Anya's eyes to his, and she was struck dumb to see sincere tears forming there. "When I think about what could have happened…"

"But it didn't," Anya soothed. Arthur started, and figured that he must look like the most miserable person on the planet for Anya to be the one comforting him. "Ivan wasn't your fault. And you know what? That man terrifies me, and I've only seen his hangover. I know you guys must have been scared, too, and you could have run away. But you stayed and protected Holly, so I guess… Maybe you guys aren't so bad."

"I'm in love with her," Arthur said suddenly. He wiped the back of his hand across his eyes to get rid of the unwanted moisture. When he met Anya's eyes again, he was gravely serious. "I feel more at home with Holly than I ever have before." He blinked, abruptly shy again, and inspected his shoes intently. "J-Just thought you ought to know my intentions."

Anya bopped him over the head with a rolling pin from the counter.

"Ow!" he howled, clutching his skull. "Bloody-! What the bugger was that for?"

"Quick, what did you just tell me?" Anya demanded.

"I-I love Holly," he said dumbly. Anya lowered the pin, surprised and a little bit impressed. She apologized politely and walked away to find Holly's present. She knew it was around there somewhere…

"Women are insane," Arthur concluded, amazed.

* * *

><p>Anya smiled to herself as she pulled the box out of its hiding place. Other boys who had tried to ask Holly out through her had received the same treatment as Arthur, although this was the first time she had used a rolling pin.<p>

The second the boy admitted his intentions, Anya would quickly cause some sort of intense, sadly nonlethal pain. Always, the offended party would rant and rave and call her every name imaginable. When she asked the unlucky soul, "What did you just say to me?", he would refuse to answer and storm away, never to darken their doorway again.

That was what made Arthur different. Although he had, by all rights, been angry, he had answered the question immediately with only a single stammer. He had looked Anya straight in the eyes and repeated his confession. He had stayed, which meant that Holly was actually worth more to him than a simple shot at a date.

"Well what do you know?" Anya hummed in amusement. "He just might be the real deal." And although she was still wary, she was gradually becoming accustomed to the idea of Arthur Kirkland courting her baby sister.

* * *

><p>"Happy Birthday!" Feliciano crowed. "Now can we eat cake, Tonio?"<p>

"Seconded!" Holly chimed. "You're the best, Toni! How did you convince them to put a viola on it?"

"I know a guy," the older boy grinned, draping an arm across her shoulders. "But I think your hermana wants to give you something first." Antonio steered her over to a chair and gently pushed her into a sitting position.

"Oi, Anya!" he called. "They want cake! Save your heart-to-heart with Artie for later!"

"Shut up, we're coming!" Anya shouted back. "Control your brothers for five seconds." Her tone was harsh, but she was smiling as she approached her sister. She dropped a small package in her lap and hugged her tightly. "Happy Birthday, Hollybells," she whispered.

"I love you, Sis." Holly hugged her back tearfully. "But you still can't call me that!" She pushed Anya away with mock anger and tore into the little box. The hastily applied tissue paper floated to the floor in pieces to reveal a familiar store brand.

"I sort of stole your idea," Anya admitted. "Lili helped me find it."

"It was my idea, too," Arthur complained softly. He eyed the locket around Holly's neck, as well as the ring on her right hand.

"Kirkland," the older twin said warningly.

"Yes, mum?"

"It's beautiful!" Holly exclaimed. The elated sparkle in her eyes broke the squabbling into tender grins. She was holding her gift up to the light, letting it catch on the vermillion surface. It was a bright red viola, inlaid with rippling black stone, (Sardonyx, Anya pointed out. It was another August birthstone.) dangling from a silver chain. "You're amazing, Anya! Thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah," she scoffed, but Arthur could tell she was pleased.

"Okay, so you got some jewelry," Lovino quipped. "I want cake."

"Lovi, don't be rude," Toni frowned in disapproval. "Apologize right now."

"I'm not four, and neither is Holly," Lovino snapped. He crossed his arms and turned away, but looked over his shoulder at Holly. He instantly regretted it; he had always been a sucker for a cute girl with a hurt face. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's alright, Lovi~" Holly skipped over to the cookie cake and quickly sliced out a piece with lots of chocolate chips. "Here you go; the first piece!" She held the paper plate out as a peace offering.

"G-Grazi."

"You're welcome," Holly laughed. She started getting pieces for everyone else when a knock sounded at the door.

Everyone froze. The knocking was barely audible, but they couldn't be sure that it wasn't Ivan.

"I'll get it," Anya said weakly.

"Cariño, I-"

"No one is fighting," she glared. "So I'll see who it is." She felt every eye on her as she made her way over to the door and opened it slowly.

"Matthew!" she beamed, relieved to see her quiet friend instead of Ivan. "What are you doing here?"

"Arthur told me and Al to come over if we had time," he explained. "Happy late birthday. Can I come in?"

"Oh, of course!" Anya led him into the living room, making sure to lock the door behind them. "It's alright, guys. Look who's here!"

"Ah, Mattie!" Antonio grinned. "Where's Alfred?"

"He got the new Call of Duty game." Matthew shook his head. "He won't come out of his room for anything but food and the bathroom. He's been playing nonstop for about twelve hours."

"I told him to go to bed," Arthur groaned. "Honestly; when mum hears about this..."

"...Saywhaaa?" Anya said, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"My brother, Alfred," the Brit said slowly. "Who is also Matthew's brother? Remember? I told you about the time he made Alvarez- Wait. You didn't know? I thought I mentioned that I had two brothers..."

"And I told you I had a brother in junior year," Matthew added.

"Well, that could have meant anyone!" Anya retorted hotly, mortified that she hadn't figured it out sooner.

"Huh..." Matthew mused. "Oh, so the girl that Arthur was talking about all weekend was-!"

"Just shut up and eat your cake, you bloody git!"

"Fine, fine!" the younger boy laughed. "Just pretend I'm not even here."

"Indeed."

"It's alright, Matthew," Anya said loudly. "It's not your fault that you're related to the British twat."

"He gets it from dad's side," Matthew chuckled. "So you won't hold it against me? Promise?"

"Of course not."

"I can hear you, you know," Arthur growled.

"We know!" they said in sync, grinning.

Holly glared at her sister while everyone else laughed. "That's not nice," she chided. "Don't pay attention to her, Artie." She leaned over and gave him a consolatory peck on the cheek. Arthur blushed and mumbled his thanks.

Toni frowned, but quickly put on a smiling face to cover it up. "Hey," he cut in brightly. "Weren't we doing something?" He gave Arthur his best look.

Holly's eyes widened and she ran back to his side. "Cake!" she exclaimed. "Here, Mattie! You've gotta try this stuff; it's better and Oreos and ice cream!"

"Smooth," Anya snickered under her breath. Antonio and Arthur tore out of their glaring contest to give her shocked looks. "You're being so obvious, _idiota_."

"Um, Holly? We're going to borrow Anya for just a minute." The younger nodded her assent, more focused on helping Matthew not choke on the cake. Maybe she shouldn't have force fed him such a big slice...

"Pleasedon'tsayaword," Antonio pleaded as soon as he and Arthur had steered Anya back into the kitchen. "I don't want her to know yet."

"Why not?" Anya frowned. "You're head over heels, bastardo. I'm sure she already..." She trailed off, thinking. "No, I'm almost positive that she doesn't know your intentions. Holly isn't dumb; she's just blind to love. Especially romantics like you who wear their hearts on their sleeves." Toni rolled his eyes, but didn't comment. He knew it was true. "So why don't you want her to know? She's not gonna figure it out unless someone tells her."

"He's just mad because she kissed me," Arthur groaned. "Honestly, Antonio. Just tell her; it isn't fair to any of us."

"And what do you know about playing fair?" He hissed back. "You made a move on her on her _birthday_."

"What was that?" Anya's hand twitched toward the rolling pin, and Arthur instantly jumped clear.

"N-Nothing," he stammered. "I just told her that I loved her!"

The eldest twin relaxed a little. That wasn't really a big deal. She didn't know how, but somewhere along the line she had lost her absolute loathing of the boys before her. It was probably her sisterly instincts reacting to the fact that they had protected Holly the night before. Now, they were merely annoying, and more amusing than she had anticipated. "Listen close, you two; you both like Holly, right?"

"Right"/"Definitely"

"And you both know that I can kick your butts?"

"Yes, ma'am"/"Of course"

"Then we understand each other," Anya smiled sweetly. "It's Holly's decision to make, and I'll respect that." Her tone became threateningly serious. "And if either of you forget to respect her choices, I'll be right there. Remember that." With that, she pushed them back into the living room to continue the celebration. Although everyone had fun, the boys mulled over what Anya had said. From where they stood, they knew five things to be true.

One: They both liked Holly.

Two: If Holly chose either of them, their friendship might be in jeopardy.

Three: Anya would kill both of them if they made Holly sad.

Four: Anya had a boyfriend with a grudge against Antonio, and would be happy to help her kill them.

Five: They were royally screwed.

* * *

><p>The twins dragged their feet to school the next day. They were exhausted- a byproduct of Holly's late night sugar rush- but the weekend had been the best that either could remember.<p>

As they reached the front gates, Anya's annoying ringtone went off, signaling a text message. "Who would be texting me at this-?" The older twin cut off, blushing, when she read the first line.

_Come to the garden? There's something I need to ask you. And you need to see the red rose bush; it's doing well. Kiku._

"I know that look," Holly teased. "Is the love doctor making a house call?"

"Shut up," Anya said dreamily. "I'll meet you in math for tutoring, okay? I need to check on a rose bush."

"Sure you do~ Just go see Kiku, already! I have to meet Toni at the soccer field, anyway. He said he wanted to tell me something." Holly ran off, calling, "Give Kiku a big kiss for me!"

"Slap that _bastardo_ Antonio for me!" the older girl shot back. She shook her head at her little sister's antics and practically skipped to the courtyard, eager to see what Kiku wanted to ask her.

* * *

><p>Holly ran down the hill to the soccer fields, sliding in the dewy grass. Antonio waved to her, calling her over. He had already finished his practice, and was packing his things into his bag.<p>

"Hola, Holly," he grinned. "I hope you had a good time yesterday."

"Best sweet sixteen _ever_," she promised, dropping her bag next to his. "So what did you want to talk about, Toni?"

To her surprise, Antonio turned bright red and wouldn't meet her eyes. "Holly, would you-?"

Holly didn't hear the rest; a pair of arms wrapped around her and poked her sides, making her convulse in laughter. "A-Arthur!" she gasped. "Don't _do _that! I'm w-waaaaay ticklish!" The Brit finally stopped tickling her and let her catch her breath.

"Hey, Artie!" Antonio said cheerfully. Only Arthur himself knew the Spaniard well enough to catch the underlying menace in his tone. "What brings you down here so early?"

"Anya sent me," he answered breezily. "Holly, you're going to be late to tutoring, and your sister is about to hit something. Namely me, but still."

"Oh, no!" Holly groaned. "She's gonna kill me!" She grabbed her bag and started sprinting across the field. "I'll talk to you later, Toni! Bye, Artie!"

"You're a real arse sometimes," Antonio growled. "You know that?"

"I'm not giving up," said arse murmured. "And I _do _plan on asking her before you do."

"Over my dead body."

"Gladly."

"Go make some of those bricks you call scones."

Arthur gasped. Even in their worst arguments, Antonio had never been mad enough to insult his mum's old recipe. "Well you-! You're a-! _Go eat a tomato, you wanker!_" He stormed off, too angry to form a plausible insult.

Antonio fell back onto the bench, his face in his hands. When had everything gotten so bad?

* * *

><p>After everything at the soccer field, Arthur dragged himself to his first class; Trigonometry. He entered the class and groaned; why did the highest math class an eleventh grader could take have to start so early?<p>

* * *

><p>"Ah, chica!" The Spaniards voice filled the air as he ran towards the shorter brunette, who was waiting by the math building.<p>

"Tonio!" Holly jumped up and hugged him tightly as he greeted her. "There you are!"

"Yea, yea." He grinned and patted her head. The younger released her grip on his neck to look up at him.

"I got away from Anya for a minute so I could wait for you," she explained sheepishly. "What did you need to talk to me about earlier?" She twirled a piece of curly hair around her finger.

"I wanted to tell you about this thing the school does every year. They have this da-" Toni started off excitedly until he looked up. Across the short walk was the school building, a row of windows, and a very angry Brit staring out the glass. Holly couldn't see him, but Antonio was getting the full brunt of Arthur's 'angry face'.

And to top it off, Anya had burst out of the building to get her sister.

"Holly, what have I told you about running away from me?" The older twin growled and poked her shoulder with a glare that could rival Natalia's.

"…To not to?" The younger asked innocently and turned back to the Spanish teen. "Heh, uh, I have to go…I gotta go to math tutoring until class starts…and Anya's kinda forcing meeee….sooooo…..tell me later, okay?" She flushed slightly from embarrassment, and walked off slowly with Anya, leaving the flabbergasted Toni just standing there.

Toni looked up at the window where Arthur was, expecting another glare, only to be greeted with a cocky smirk. They knew each other too well.

_Hijo de puta._

_Wanker._

* * *

><p>"Holly, you aren't skipping math tutoring. I won't let you fail." Anya groaned as she shoved her twin along. She kept getting distracted by small things like butterflies.<p>

"I know, Anya! I don't want to fail." She pouted slightly as she walked to the class door. "I'll come meet you in Chemistry, okay?"

"Fine. But you better be there on time." Her twin walked off in the direction of the class. As soon as she was sure that Holly was actually going to learn something, Anya's scowl melted into a reluctantly bright grin. They had a lot to talk about in Chemistry.

Holly sighed and walked in, greeted with the smiling face of her teacher. "Mr. Smith? I need help with this week's chapter…"

After half an hour spent on parabolas, "y=4", "y=-6", and "x=-6.4", Holly smiled her thanks and walked her way to the chemistry class. But just as she was about to leave the math pod, she heard a familiar voice.

"I really want to ask her to go, but I don't know how!" A British accent groaned as it's owner's head slumped against the wall. The trig class was on a short break, and Arthur was discussing his problem with Alfred.

"Just ask her, dude! The worse she could say is like, no, or something!" The other voice was unfamiliar to her, and made her furrow her brow in wonder. What were they talking about? She shook her head and kept walking, her shoes tapping by as she pretended to not have heard anything at all.

As she passed the adjacent hallway, Holly paused to smile and wave at Arthur, who stood there and blushed darkly, only able to barely wave back. His brother grinned and elbowed him in the side after she walked by and was out of sight.

"Dude? Was that your babe? 'Cause, like, she's totally in my Mexican class!"

The Brit groaned. "Alfred, you're in Spanish. She is not my, or anyone's, 'babe'. And no, her twin sister Anya is in your class. You would have known this if you hadn't spent the weekend glued to that stupid machine."

"Whattttever, man. Let's go back to class."

* * *

><p>Chemistry that day was completely pointless for the twins. They were working on projects, which they had finished on Friday. The other students scrambled to put together their last minute preparations, leaving them to sit there and talk.<p>

"Sooo," Holly smirked. "What did Kiku want?" She was instantly rewarded by a yelp and the brightest blush she had ever seen.

"W-Well, the school has this… _fling _every year to celebrate the beginning of the school year," Anya explained sheepishly. "Okay, so it's more of a dance… type thing…"

Holly gasped. "Oh my gosh, he _didn't!"_

The purple eyed sister smiled softly. "He did. I'm going with Kiku. He asked me about it this morning while we were in the courtyard." She fiddled with the green crystal around her neck.

"How was it?"

"Huh?"

"How did he ask you?" Holly exclaimed. Someone shushed her, and she lowered her voice. "Was he unbearably romantic?"

"You know Kiku doesn't go for that kind of stuff," Anya giggled- actually _giggled!_ "He just asked me if I wanted to go, and I thought, why not?"

"That's it?" Holly wasn't convinced. Anya shouldn't be this worked up over something so small.

"It was really sweet, idiot." She smacked her sister's arm lightly. "Now, if you're going to freak out-"

"AWHHHHHHH! SISSY'S GOING TO A DANCE~" Holly gushed and flailed.

"So, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Has Antonio or Arthur asked you to the dance yet?" Anya clarified, not bothering to include any others. If any boy within a mile even looked at Holly, those two were always the first to run to her side. They had had enough competition without others joining in, and they actually made Anya's job a little easier. If they weren't so irritating, she might just let Antonio and Arthur stick around as part-time babysitters.

Holly's ears perked up from the pink rabbit she had been doodling on her paper. "O-Oh, no, they haven't. I think I overheard Arthur talking about it to this really obnoxious kid who looks creepily similar to Matthew during their trigonometry break before I came to class," She sucked in a gulp of air. "But that's it. Nothin' more than that."

"…Okay. A guy who looks like Matt? Really obnoxious? Yup, that's Alfred," Anya deduced, smirking. "Well, if one of them does ask you, just tell me so I'll be able to prepare myself. Do it slowly though, or I might kill whichever one it is."

"Yeah, yeah~"

After the class was over, Holly headed to her orchestra period. The block simply consisted of Arthur's many failed attempts at trying to ask her to the dance.

"H-Holly, I know this is sudden, b-but-"

"Oh, hey, Feliciano!"

"Ve~ Bella!"

"_Holly, would you like to-?"_

"_Ah! N-Natalia?"_

"_Just because big brother said to be nice to you, that doesn't mean you're off the hook, got it?"_

"_Got it…"_

"C-Can I talk to you for just a moment-"

"Lovi! I'm coming to visit you at work tonight!"

"Don't bring the tomato bastard with you."

"_Holly-" _

"_I'll be right back!"_ And thus, the sister ran off to talk to Mr. Bieldschmit.

_She won't listen to me!_ Arthur typed out angrily on his phone to send to Alfred as he walked out of the music building. Students flooded the hallways to his left and right as he strode to lunch.

* * *

><p>"Guess what! Mr. Bieldchmit wants me to play an electric viola for my solo in the concert!" Holly gushed and flailed her arms.<p>

"That sounds…interesting." Anya sighed as she sat down at the concrete table they shared with Matthew, Kiku, and Feliciano.

"…No, I want to take her! You need to back off, Antonio!"

"Me? Back off? No! She'll pick me before she even thinks about going with you!" A couple of voices interrupted the twins' discussion as the bickering flooded the air around them from behind a line of trees.

"Is that…?" Anya trailed off. "Yeah…that's definitely them."

The hazel eyed sister excused herself. She carefully crouched under a branch until she was in the center of the pine, and climbed to about three feet above the duo, observing the bickering friends with curiosity.

"Toni, you know she likes me better! There's no argument about it, you git!" Arthur was throwing insults left and right to the Spaniard.

She inched closer, and closer, and closer, until…

"Ah!" A curly haired brunette fell out of the tree, falling face down, sprawled out, and light headed.

"Holly?"

"Cariño! Are you okay?" Toni rushed over and picked her up.

"That was dumb," Holly groaned.

"What were you doing up there?" Arthur asked incredulously. _What did she hear?_

"What possessed you to climb in those scrawny trees?" Toni asked with undisguised concern. _What will she say?_

"Umm…" Holly searched for words that wouldn't make her sound like an idiot. "What's up?"

_Idiot_.

"Well, _you_ were," Arthur smiled tenderly, relieved that she was okay. "We were just talking."

"What's wrong?" Anya demanded. She and Kiku came around the trees to see what the noise was about.

"I fell," Holly grimaced. Anya shot her a look, and Holly nodded just enough for her to see. Anya mentally facepalmed. What was she going to do with these idiots? She thought quickly, and found a solution.

"So, do either of you guys have plans for the dance on Friday?" she asked cheerily. The others stared at her in shock, Holly looking the most surprised.

"I-I didn't really…"

"You see, cariño, I was going to-"

"Why didn't you tell them, Holly?" Anya asked with mock disapproval. "If you're going to fall on top of them, you might as well be useful."

"Tell them what?" Holly was truly bewildered. What was her sister talking about?

"That you had the _amazing _idea of the five of us going to the dance as a group," Anya winked.

"I did?"

"She did?" all three guys groaned, all for different reasons.

"Yes, she did," she pressed, shooting Kiku a purely apologetic look. His eyes widened in understanding, and he nodded quickly. He had been hoping to take her on a proper date, but if this was what she wanted… Well, he knew that it was for Holly's sake.

"Anya," Arthur started, slightly miffed. "I don't really-"

"This is going to be so fun!" Holly gushed, little hearts and sparkles practically visible in the air around her. _Bless you, Anya!_ "Artie, you've got to dance with me. Promise?" She looked up at him with her big eyes, reacting exactly as Anya had expected.

"O-Of course," he sighed, ruffling her hair. How was he supposed to say no to _that?_ "I promise."


	13. Chapter 13

**HIIIIIIIII everyone! It's Christina again for this weeks update! :DD How's your summer vacation going? Ours is going pretty good! :D ME AND MAYA BOUGHT HETALIA PLUSHIES! I bought an Alfy plushie, and she bought an Artie plush~ They're gonna meet soon! xDD Anyways, here's our weeks installment, and we'll see ya next week! you know the drill, read, review, and all that jazz~**

**~TwoRandomOtakus do not own Hetalia. Maya and Christina only own Anya and Holly respectively. If they owned Hetalia...it'd be full of Pirates and fluff and adventures!~ xD**

* * *

><p>"Welcome," a familiar voice greeted them. Four of them jumped while Kiku nodded his head respectfully to the chaperone at the door.<p>

"Good evening, Mr. Souma," he smiled. "Can we go in?"

"Hmm." The teacher pretended to think about it. "You _are_ all students at the academy, I suppose. You should be able to attend the dance." His smile was uncharacteristically friendly, and Anya realized that her history teacher hadn't given them any trouble since the first day. Maybe she _had _pegged him wrong.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, and Mr. Souma actually flinched. Anya frowned, wondering what she had done. She shrugged it off and followed Kiku past him and to the door of the gym.

"This is where they always have the school dances." Kiku held the door for Anya and Holly to walk in, scowling slightly at the Spaniard and Brit in tow behind them. They were greeted with a dark room only illuminated by flashing lights, booming music, and kids from the school dancing the night away. "If you think this is huge, just wait until prom."

Anya blushed and punched his arm lightly. "B-Baka."

The teens were dressed nicely; all of the school dances at the academy were formal, and as such required formal wear. All three of the guys wore tuxes; Kiku had a light blue tie, Toni's was red, and Arthur's was black.

Anya wore the kimono-style dress that Holly had gotten her for their birthday. It had a couple of unfamiliar kanji written up the side that Kiku had designed for her with gold glitter-glue. When she asked what it said, he simply smiled and recited the words in Japanese, leaving her to find out for herself.

Finally, Holly wore the dress Arthur had bought her the day the two went to the mall to find Anya's birthday present. She wore Arthur's locket and Toni's ring, and Anya's viola necklace was tightened around her wrist as a makeshift charm bracelet.

"Hey…Where did Toni go?" Holly glanced around the crowd, standing on her tip-toes in an attempt to see the crazy brunette. Suddenly, an all too familiar song started as the kids got into rows. "This is the _Cupid Shuffle_, Anya! C'mon!" Holly laughed and dragged her sister out to where the back row was, joining a few of their fellow classmates.

Kiku joined Arthur in leaning against the wall, an amused look on his face. "I didn't know Anya-chan could dance. She told me she couldn't do anything but the box step…" he trailed off.

"Well, I'd say they're doing a bit more than that," Arthur grinned.

The girls shuffled in perfect synchronization first to the right, back to the left, kick right, left, right, left, then turn ninety degrees and repeat. They teased each other and laughed throughout the entire thing, giggling more once the song ended.

When she looked around through the dispersing crowd, Anya realized that Kiku had disappeared. "Where did he go?" she sighed, standing on her toes.

"I'm right here." A light poke to her side sent her reeling, and she almost smacked the grinning boy behind her. "I went to ask them to play a song for us."

"You did _what_?" the older twin squeaked.

"…_Where's my samurai?_" The familiar lyrics echoed throughout the dance hall.

"Dance with me?" Kiku asked bashfully. He held his hand out to his partner, who instantly took it. He pulled her closer to him as the rhythm sped up almost instantly. He whispered in her ear, "Just keep moving…let me handle the rest." Anya nodded and did as told. He whipped her around in a complex dance, giving the two both a feeling of strange nostalgia. Needless to say, both were confused by this; neither had danced with the other, let alone this very dance.

"…_I'm your little butterfly. Green, black, and blue, making colors in the sky._" The lyrics ended on a strong note as they stopped moving, Anya's eyes moving to Kiku's own darker ones, her cheeks flushed.

"That was…amazing…" Anya breathed quietly as she hugged him. He smiled and petted the top of her hair softly. "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"It's not that much different from saber fighting," Kiku grinned with a wink.

A faster tempo started as Holly was twirled around, and Arthur gave a dirty look to the teen who stole her away.

"_She's in to superstitions, black cats and voodoo dolls…" _

The song was easily recognized by Holly, who grinned when she saw the flirtatious Spaniard guiding her. She attempted the tango routine she had learned earlier in life, giving Antonio a playful smirk at his amused face. She twirled, she was spun out, then let go of to dance back to the other. They ended with Holly's back almost flush to Antonio's chest.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming!" The hazel eyed girl grinned as she backed away to look at him in the eyes.

He blinked. "I didn't. Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention that I took lessons when I was little?" Holly asked innocently. "Anya quit after about three_ days_, but I kept going for about two years, maybe."

"Well, you're good at it either way. I'm impressed." Antonio took a deep breath and decided. He was going to say it. "_Querido_, I-"

_"I swear. By the moon and the stars in the sky, I'll be there..."_ The slowest song to play since they had arrived began, filling Holly with joy. "Oh my God...I love this song..." she looked around. "I need to find Artie...I want him to dance to it with me." She reached up and hugged his neck tightly, completely missing his dejection. Holly smiled demurely at him. "See ya in a few, Toni!"

She walked away and glanced through the crowd worriedly. Arthur had simply disappeared from the room. Holly frowned. Where could he be? He had promised to dance with her!

"Arthur!" she cried, suddenly catching sight of the blond near the doors. He looked up, saw her, and immediately dashed through the doors into the evening air. Holly stood in the middle of the crowd, frozen and hurt. "Well, if he doesn't want me around, I won't bother," she sniffed, and stomped off to the doors on the opposite side of the gym. She needed some air.

* * *

><p>"<em>I know what's weighing on your mind…" <em> Arthur tensed up visibly, ignoring the music pouring from the gym as another scene played through his head; a boy very similar to Antonio was comforting Holly, saying things like, "_Arthur had to go…He's going to be fine, Holly. I promise you_."

Constant images and sequences of events played through his mind, all involving him breaking Holly's heart somehow. He eventually just slumped to the curb, looking guiltily at the pavement, and eventually at the stars. He had been having dreams like that all weekend. Where were they coming from, and what the bloody heck did they mean?

"Memories…" Arthur murmured to himself. He shook his head; that was ridiculous.

* * *

><p>Mr. Souma stood near the drink table, the deep bass giving him a pounding headache. He scowled at Anya and Kiku in particular; why were they suddenly so friendly and <em>close<em>? He'd been pleasantly surprised when the Michaelis sisters turned out to be good students and hard workers, but something about the older one… He just couldn't get used to her.

It would have been one thing if she were merely defiant; most teenagers were. Mr. Souma had dealt with some of the most disrespectful delinquents to go through the academy. They would fight and gripe until parents were brought in, and then they would grumble their way through the rest of the year. They would be under his control.

Anya Michaelis was an entirely different matter. After their first encounter, she had been the model student, keeping herself and even her easily distracted sister at the top of the class. Her mere presence in the class prompted some of the others to actually stay awake. Anya was cordial and asked questions, but did not seem to really be interested. She was friendly and polite because it was her nature. She was not afraid of him at all.

Anya Michaelis gave him a headache.

"I'm going to have to leave," Mr. Souma sighed, glancing at his watch. "I have papers to grade."

"I can handle it," Mr. Smith waved him off. "See you on Monday, Ryu."

Mr. Souma sighed again and exited the gym. As he walked across the parking lot to his car, a high-pitched giggle caught his attention. He abruptly changed course, and- just as he had suspected- found some drunken seniors making out in the back of the boy's truck.

"Out," he growled. The tipsy teens stumbled out of the truck, grousing and cursing. "Hey, you!" Mr. Souma called to an innocent passerby. "What's your name?"

"Eduard Von Bock, sir."

"Can you drive?"

"Y-Yeah."

Mr. Souma jerked his thumb at the inebriated couple. "Drive these two to their _separate _homes. You can expect extra credit on Monday, Mr. Von Bock."

"Y-Yes, sir."

As the poor bespectacled civilian tried to convince the couple to come with him and stop trying to get each other's clothes off, Mr. Souma smirked and began walking to his car again. His foot knocked against something, and he tripped, swearing. Feeling around on the pavement, he found the offending object. The classic brand of a popular vodka producer stood out, embossed against the half-full glass bottle. The teacher looked around briefly and tucked the bottle into his jacket, making the rest of the trip to his car in silence.

* * *

><p>"Where's Holly?" Anya shouted over the noise. She squeaked and ducked to avoid the gyrating limbs around her.<p>

"I haven't seen her in a while!" Kiku yelled back, and Antonio nodded in agreement. "Maybe she went outside?"

"Come with me to look?" she pleaded. It wasn't a great idea to be wandering around alone at a time like this. She knew that upperclassmen, and even some freshman, had smuggled in illegal substances. Who knew what crazy things might happen? Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Arthur in a while, either… She had to find Holly _now_.

Both boys nodded seriously and the three of them elbowed their way out of the writing mass of bodies. Anya got knocked down, and it took both Kiku and Antonio to save her from getting trampled.

"Heathens," Kiku muttered darkly, finally pulling free of the crowd with Anya in tow. "What happened to the chaperones?"

"It's fine," Anya said briskly. "Let's just get outside." They left the hot, noisy gym in favor for the cool evening. "Wow," she breathed. "I'm officially not going back inside."

"_De acuerdo_," Toni agreed. "Who needs all of that noise, anyway?"

"I meant the stars, idiota," Anya smiled. "They're beautiful!"

"Beautiful," Kiku repeated, gently drawing her closer to him. "You really love the stars, don't you Anya-chan?"

"What-?"

"Finish that sentence, and I'll tell Holly that you kick turtles," Anya interrupted, not looking at him. "You're ruining a very nice moment."

"Lo siento," Toni chuckled. "But I wasn't commenting on Honda's quirks." He pointed a little ways away in the parking lot. "It looks like Holly made a friend."

* * *

><p>"So then he just left as soon as I called out to him," Holly pouted. "I don't know what got into him. It isn't like him to break a promise."<p>

"He might have needed some air," Sr. Alvarez suggested rationally. "It's the reason I took a break from chaperoning. The music was far too loud for my old ears."

"Eh? How old are you?"

"Forty-two."

"That's not old!"

"Thank you," he chuckled warmly. He had been seeking refuge from the pounding noise when he stumbled across who he thought was his top student, but had turned out to be her sister. His offer to stay and talk for a while had initially been to insure that she was neither upset nor intoxicated (You never knew with teens these days!) but had quickly become a confessional and a nice chat.

"You're cool," Holly said suddenly. "I get why you're Anya's favorite teacher."

"Don't tell anyone I said this, but your sister is by far my favorite student," Mr. Alvarez sighed. "Did she really say that I was her favorite?"

"Yup!" she grinned. "Anya likes that you actually talk to her like she's a person. Most of her teachers just get her through the class without really getting her interested in anything. She can hardly stay awake in history. But you challenged her right off, and treated her as an individual instead of just one in twenty students. Anya really respects you, Mr. Alvarez."

"Thank you for saying that," he said, voice wavering terribly. "That is the best thing that- that a teacher can hear."

"I should probably get back inside," Holly said reluctantly after a minute. "I need to find Artie and find out what's going on. Besides, Anya's probably flipping out."

"I should be working," Mr. Alvarez agreed. "I'll walk you in, Hollybells."

Holly instantly froze. Where had…? "Mr. Alvarez?"

"Y-Yes?" The teacher laughed nervously. "What is it, Miss Michaelis?"

"Papá?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Holly!" The two of them turned to see Anya, Kiku, and Antonio looking at them in horror.

"Get out of the way!" someone screamed.

Alvarez and Holly stood in the parking lot, giving each other a stunned stare. Holly barely registered the screech until she looked away first, seeing the headlights flooding her view. She was frozen with fear like the teacher beside her, unable to hear the screams of the others telling them to move.

"Holly! Mister Alvarez!" Antonio and Anya's screams filled the air as Kiku ran to shove the others out of the way. The car was barreling out of control. He wasn't going to make it to both of them-

Arthur rocketed across the pavement, crashing into Holly a split second before Kiku tackled Mr. Alvarez, all four landing on the grass on the other side of the pavement. Holly lay in the Brit's arms, shaking as tears sprung from her eyes. "Oh my God, "she chanted in a mantra.

"It's okay, love. I'm here…you're okay…" He smoothed her hair down as memories flashed frantically through her mind. The village. Anya. The pirates. The navy. Javier… No, _papá's_ death. The spell. She remembered it all, and Arthur found himself overcome with understanding, as well.

"Holly? Holly!" Anya ran and joined the others once the car was gone, swerving its way out of the parking lot. Antonio jogged and caught up, kneeling next to them.

"God, you're alright!" Anya sobbed, crushing the air out of her sister. "You idiot! Why didn't you move?"

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "But..." She looked up at Mr. Alvarez, who had gotten himself to his feet with Kiku's help. She pushed herself out of Anya's arms and stood shakily. "Papá?" Holly whispered.

"What?" Anya shouted. "Holly, what are you talking about? Pa- Our dad left a long time ago!"

"Anya, he's Javier!" Holly babbled. "I mean Luciano… He's papá! Remember? After you got kidnapped, and then he got shot and Arthur did the spell to get us away from the ship!"

Anya turned to Arthur. "How hard did you hit her?" she demanded. "I swear, if you gave her brain damage-!"

"She's telling the truth," Kiku said softly. Anya whirled on him, but paused. There was something different about him… She couldn't place it. He held himself differently, with the ramrod straight posture and confidence of a career soldier.

Arthur had it, too. There was a new sparkle in his eye, and there was a certain swagger to his stride. He also seemed taller, but Anya put that down to the shock and stress of seeing her sister and her favorite teacher almost get run over.

"Wh-What do you mean, Kiku?" Anya asked, a bit more calmly.

"The past, love," Arthur cut in. He looked ecstatic. "God, it worked. The spell actually worked! Javier didn't die this time!"

"Artie, did you hit your head?" The entire group turned to Antonio, who had spoken for the first time since the accident. "Amigo, you need a hospital pronto."

Holly stumbled over to him, and he caught her arm to steady her. "Toni, stop playing around," she pleaded. "I_ remember_ now."

"Remember what?" he asked, clueless. "Cariño, I don't know what you mean."

"Yes you do," she insisted. Frantic, she turned to Anya. "Sis, please. Tell me that you remember!"

Anya shook her head, looking around her in shock. "Holly, I promise. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well, among other things, Mr. Alvarez is our dad!" Holly exclaimed, almost angrily. Every student looked to him, realizing that he hadn't spoken yet at all.

"Y-You're papá," Holly said again. She knew she remembered that much; this man was Javier, who was Luciano, who was their father; in the past, at least. Was he still their father in this time, when so much had changed?

"Oh, girls," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

Holly felt her heart crumble. What did he mean? Was he really not Luciano?

"I'm so sorry," he continued. "I never wanted to put you through this. I've failed you and your mother- Elena."

"See, Anya," Holly laughed. "He really is papá! He knew about my nickname, just like last time!" She ran forward and hugged her father tightly, tears falling unchecked down her face.

"Last time?" Mr. Alvarez mouthed to Anya.

"I have _no idea_," she mouthed back, before turning to Arthur. "Artie, what do you mean, 'the past'? You knew that Mr. Alvarez is our dad?" The shock was still in place; Anya couldn't think of any other way that she could be handling this so rationally. Their father was _alive_. And he was her _Spanish teacher._

"You know this," he growled, frustrated. He looked quizzically between her and Antonio. "Why don't either of you remember?"

Kiku, as usual, was forced to be the voice of reason. "The circle," he stated. "When Antonio walked in on your spell-"

"Anya stepped out to pull him in!" Arthur finished in awe. "You're a genius, Kiku." He frowned, troubled. "But they were so close. Shouldn't their memories return, as well?"

Kiku shrugged. "It's your magic. Don't ask me."

"You're all insane," Anya decided, unconsciously gravitating toward Toni, the only other teen present who wasn't talking nonsense. "Magic doesn't exist!"

"You said the same thing before," Arthur smiled. "Come on, love. You can't tell me that you feel as if none of this has happened before. I told you this myself; history repeated itself, with a much more favorable outcome."

"I have no idea what's going on," Luciano Alvarez said, still patting Holly's back awkwardly. He pushed her back and beckoned Anya to join them. She approached cautiously, still trying to take it all in. Now that she looked at him- _really _looked- she could see features in him that he could have passed to them; his dark complexion and hair color were similar, and his eyes were almost the same shade of hazel as Holly's.

"I don't know how it happened," he said again, drinking in the sight of his girls, together. "But I found you, and I don't plan on letting you go again."

"Then why did you leave?" Anya whispered. Luciano flinched, and Anya remembered their conversation on the first day of school. She had exalted Atticus Finch as a champion father, and in the next breath spoken badly of a father she had thought abandoned her.

"Oh, hija," he sighed. "I never meant to leave you." He motioned for them to sit on the curb, and they sat on either side of him. "Do you remember the last time I saw you? You were so young…"

"We were six," Anya clarified. "And we remember. You and mamá said you were going on a trip, and that you would be back in the morning to take us to school."

"Mamá gave me a new puzzle to work," Holly added. "And you gave Anya a new Dora book."

"Dora?" Antonio snickered.

Five withering glares silenced him.

"That's exactly right," Luciano said shakily, glancing at Anya. She had led him to believe that they didn't really remember much. Had they really been bearing those demons for all these years? "We were driving to a friend's wedding. Elena was to be a bridesmaid. We left the reception early so we could get home in time, but it was raining. The best man was trying to drive home drunk, and couldn't see us."

"So you couldn't call?" Holly demanded. "Didn't anyone think to call us and say that our parents were in a car wreck?"

Luciano took a deep breath, as if it pained him to say it. He took a hand from each girl in his own and said steadily, "It wasn't a car wreck. We were walking to the car, and he hit us both directly. I was taken to the hospital, but…"

"Mamá didn't make it, did she?" Anya asked gently. She supposed that she should feel more for her dead mother, and she did. She loved Elena with all of her heart. But Luciano had been her husband, and missed her dearly. Anya felt her years of watching out for her sister kicking in and telling her to stay strong and do whatever it took to comfort her father.

"No," he confirmed. His eyes glazed over with grief, and he squeezed the girls' hands tightly. "Your mamá died on impact. I was in critical condition, and no one at the reception knew what to do. They were Elena's friends from high school, and no one even knew that I was her husband, let alone that we had two girls waiting for us at home. So the hospital took my driver's license and contacted my parents, who were living in California."

"California?" Holly exclaimed. "We have grandparents in California?"

"_Holly_."

"Sorry, sis."

"Please," Anya said. "Tell us what happened."

"They moved me to a medical center in California. My mother assumed that Elena was taking care of you, since she wasn't in the hospital," Luciano continued grimly. "And I couldn't tell her differently; I was unconscious for over a month in ICU. When I woke up, the first thing I did was try to get in touch with you. But by then, it was too late."

"Social services took us in after we missed a week of school," Anya recalled. "They told us that you had disappeared."

"It took me another month to recover enough to travel," he nodded. "I ran up to our house, took out my key, and let myself in to an empty home. The furniture was there, but you two were gone, along with all of your things. When I finally found you, you were living with old Mrs. Michaelis."

"But she died years ago!" Holly cried. "Why didn't you take us back?" She shot up from the pavement and started pacing frantically. "You could have taken us back home. Didn't you miss us?" As soon as she said it, Holly wished she could take it back.

"Of course, cariño," Luciano despaired. "I wanted to see you again more than anything. But I couldn't face you after what happened. I could see that you thought I had left you; it was what the authorities thought, and you did not know any better. Anya confirmed my fears when I met her on the first day of school. And on top of it all, I wasn't able to save your mother. I wasn't even able to move to save Holly tonight. I was sure that the two of you would hate me."

"Papá, we would never hate you." Anya gulped and hugged her father for the first time in ten years. All of a sudden, it was like he had never left. Tears began to fall, unbidden. "T-Te amo, papá." She cried into Luciano's shirt, wailing like she was only six years old again. "Te amo!"

Holly sniffed and hugged his other side, finally feeling like things would be okay. It didn't matter that Anya didn't remember their past yet; they would find a way to bring back her memories. Even after losing him so many times, Anya and Holly had found their father. Against all odds, their family was back together again.

* * *

><p>The three of them never noticed that while they were catching up, the guys had silently decided to give them some space. They stood now at the gym wall, puzzling over what to do.<p>

"I still don't know what you're talking about," Toni insisted for the tenth time. "Really, Arthur? Magical time travel? It's ridiculous!"

"You can't be totally unaware of it," Arthur growled in frustration. "It's one of the properties of the spell! You should have started remembering the old days as soon as we met Holly!"

"And why doesn't Anya remember?" Kiku asked worriedly. Even through the clashing and confusion of his old and present memories, he knew that he cared deeply for the girl, and he wanted her to remember their time together. "If what you say is true, and they should remember just as much as we do…"

"Maybe it's just coming back more slowly," the former pirate suggested. "Yes, that could make sense… I had a clear memory the very first day I met Holly in this time." He turned to Antonio. "Are you sure you haven't subconsciously remembered anything? A strange dream, perhaps?"

"Look, this is crazy! I don't-!" Antonio sighed in defeat. "I had a weird dream last weekend, after we took Holly home. Is that good enough for you?"

"What did you dream?" Kiku prompted. "Every detail counts; I had a strange dream that night, as well. I didn't put any thought to it, but I recognize it now as a series of memories from the first time I met Anya-chan."

"It was stupid," Toni scoffed. "I dreamt I was a pirate. My crew was attacked by Germans, and Arthur was there fighting with me." He smirked, recalling more of the dream. "Anya and Holly were there too, with someone named Javier… Who looked like Sr. Alvarez," he realized.

"Go on," Arthur urged excitedly. "What else?"

"Well, Holly was upset. Anya had gone missing somehow, and we had to find her. And then you went missing, too, so we ran onto another ship to find you." Toni shuddered when he reached the next part. "And then some creepy bastardo kidnapped Holly. I had this weird… Ribbon…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the silken strip of cloth, which he'd been puzzling over all week. "And then there were all of these flashing lights, and wind… And then I woke up with this thing on my sleeve," he finished.

"That's it, then!" Arthur exclaimed. "You just described perfectly how we met the girls! Although I have no bloody idea how you got the ribbon." He was bouncing up and down with excitement. "That means Anya should get her memories back, too! And if we're lucky, Sr. Alvarez might start remembering, as well!"

"So he really is their padre, huh?" Antonio glanced over his shoulder at the waterworks festival. "It seems so far-fetched, amigo, the way they found him. It's almost like-"

"Destiny?" the blond smirked. "Face it, mate. My spell worked!"

"Okay, that's the one thing I refuse to believe," Toni said firmly. "I don't believe in magic."

"Hmm," Arthur deliberated. "I suppose… It wouldn't have to be anything special…" He started rubbing his hands together and shaking them out, ignoring the others' stares.

"This was the first trick I ever showed you," he explained sadly. It was driving him mad to see his best friend unable to remember half of their adventures together. Maybe this would jog his memory. "Just keep watching my hands." A second later, he pulled off his thumb.

"Everyone's seen that trick," Antonio sneered. "What do you think that proves?"

"Oh," Arthur said, mildly surprised. "I don't really know. Here, could you hold this for me?" And he handed his severed thumb over to the horrified Spaniard.

"Dios!" he exclaimed, nearly dropping the thumb. "What did you-?"

"Just some simple magic," the blond said innocently. "Honestly, your response last time was much more amusing. You nearly fell overboard off the Spanish Maine." He held out his hand to retrieve his thumb, and Antonio caught a glimpse of the severing point; a fresh wound sporting blood, bone, and tendon. He shuddered and handed the appendage back. In seconds, it was back in its proper place on Arthur's hand.

"Now do you believe me?" he asked, exasperated. "I really don't want to have to do the _second _trick I ever showed you again."

"N-No, I believe you," Toni assured. "I just don't remember anything. How can we jog my memory as well as Anya's?"

"Just leave that to me and Mr. Honda," Arthur answered. "Now, go say goodnight to the ladies and get some rest. Try to dream up a few more memories, because we've got a big day ahead of us."


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, everyone! Sorry for the slightly late update. Maya's little sister just turned 4 today, and she's been stuck putting stickers on a Barbie jet. . But we have successfully converted this small child into a Hetalia fangirl; she is infatuated with both "Iggy" and "Alfie", our England and America plushies~ And she also screams, "JAPAN!" every time she sees an anime guy with dark hair. So Happy Birthday, Jenna! And we promise that this chapter will actually introduce a plot line, instead of continuous useless fluff^^ Here we go!**

* * *

><p><em>Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong.<em> The twins were awoken by the doorbell ringing. Anya looked up sleepily at the clock and groaned. Who was crazy enough to try to wake them up at six on a Saturday? Especially after the experience they'd had the night before…

_Papa didn't abandon us,_ she thought with a small smile, despite the early hour. The three of them- a father and two girls who had thought him long gone- had talked late into the night, not caring when the dance ended and everyone else went home. Luciano had guiltily admitted that he had papers to grade and classes to plan, and had left with the promise to visit them soon.

The knocking paused and continued with a vengeance, growing in urgency. Holly groaned and flipped over sourly.

"Anyaaaa, you get ittttt," she moaned into her pillow. "Too. Early."

"Fine," the purple eyed twin muttered. She stood, pulling a sweatshirt on over her pajamas and walking to the door. "Hold your horses!" she called irritably. "I'm coming!"

"Anya-chan?" Kiku's voice came from the other side of the door, having a slightly worried tone. Said twin instantly brightened and opened the door to give him a tired smile.

"Heya," Anya said shyly, tugging self-consciously at her clothes. "G-Good morning."

"Good morning," he echoed. Looking anxiously into her eyes, he asked, "Have…Have you remembered anything yet?"

_Of course he would be wondering that_, Anya thought, slightly disappointed. _My so-called memories._ She was still trying to come to terms with the fact that maybe, just maybe, she and Holly had lived a whole other life before the current time.

She shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, but I still think you should seek professional help," she joked.

"I'll wait," Kiku declared simply. "Antonio has been recovering things slowly, and I know you'll remember what we've been through." The intensity of his words and gaze made her blush for some reason, and she couldn't find her voice for several seconds.

"I don't know where you, Holly, and Arthur are getting these strange ideas," Anya coughed. "But if you all seem to remember the same thing, and this isn't all some big joke…"

The raven haired boy sighed and leaned forward, giving her a tight hug. "You'll remember eventually," he promised, holding her for a moment before pulling back to smile down at her. "Now, go wake up your sister and drag her out here. We're all going into town."

"E-Eh?"

"Just go get ready. I can't hold those two back for much longer." Kiku scowled and jerked a thumb down to the pavement, where Arthur and Antonio were waving. Anya waved back and, once she decided that there was no avoiding it, went back inside to rouse her sister.

Once the girls were ready, they were down the stairs in a flash to meet up with the guys. Anya was dressed in a comfortable pair of blue jeans, a red sweater, and red converse, while Holly wore a soft pink sundress.

"Tonio!" Holly giggled and ran towards the Spaniard, leaping into his arms to give him a hug. She buried her face in the leather of his jacket, a pang running through her as the smell of him brought back a time that Antonio still didn't recall.

Her twin simply walked to Kiku and stood with him, giving him a brief reunion hug. The hazel eyed girl also gave Arthur a big hug, smiling happily.

"So, what do you have planned for us anyways?" Anya questioned the trio of guys.

"Well, we figured you guys would want a break from all the stress that's happened and just go around town today. Holly said you guys didn't go that often, and we wanted to show you guys around." Arthur replied sheepishly.

"Well, that sounds good to me." The older girl smiled and took Kiku's hand in her own, following the guys and her sister a few yards down the street. They piled into Arthur's bright red Jeep, which the Brit had used to pick the guys up beforehand, and swerved out into the street.

"Who wants breakfast?" Arthur yawned and pulled into the parking lot by the shopping center. Holly blushed slightly when she recognized the little coffee shop from the week before.

"You okay?" Anya poked her side, getting a squeak and a quick nod.

"Y-Yeah," Holly said overenthusiastically. "I-I'm just hungry… Let's go eat! Ahaha…"

"Weirdo," Anya muttered under her breath as her sister dragged her ahead into the shop.

"Hey! What can I get for you guys?" Matthew's voice greeted the five. He was the only server on the floor, which wasn't surprising. Before eight, a small place like this was dead on a Saturday.

"Matt?" Arthur asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here."

"Since when?"

"June, Artie."

"Oh, yeah… Sorry."

"It's okay," Matthew sighed. "Just sit over there so I can take your drink orders."

The group relaxed and just talked while they had their drinks. Kiku got green tea, Antonio got a cappuccino, Arthur got a hot tea, Anya got hot chocolate, and Holly got a white hot chocolate. Although they had planned on eating something heavier, the drinks and the bagels that came with them proved to be more than enough.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" Matt asked as he made his way to another table at the other end of the shop. All five shook their heads, full and fully awake.

"Nope," Toni grinned. "Check, please!" When Matt returned with the bill, Antonio waved off the others' protests and handed him a twenty. "Keep the change, amigo," he winked.

Matthew blushed slightly. "Thanks, Tonio. You all have fun today."

"We will," Holly beamed, hugging him goodbye. Seeing Anya roll her eyes, the younger girl was hit with an idea. Right before exiting the shop, she turned around and called, "Byyyye, Mattie!" as loudly as she could.

The others looked at her quizzically, only Arthur understanding what exactly had possessed her to do such a thing. _She's trying to jog their memories, _he realized. _That's the same tone she used after that first raid…Words, actions, certain phrases… That's how I started recalling things, myself!_

"I don't know you," Anya groaned, covering her face and trying not to laugh at her sister's antics. She suddenly stopped, stumbling. Why was she feeling such a strong sense of déjà vu?

Antonio paused as well, wincing as a pain shot through his head. The smell of the sea assaulted his nostrils, and he felt the hot sun beating down on his body.

"German…" he mumbled.

"Pirates?" Anya breathed.

_It worked! _Holly rejoiced. "You remember?" she coaxed.

"There was something," Anya admitted, awestruck. She was actually starting to feel more of that familiar feeling that she had gotten when they first met Antonio and Arthur.

"Definitely something," Toni agreed. "Can you do it again?"

"Ummm… I'll work on it?" Holly said sheepishly.

"We don't have to rush it," Kiku encouraged, ushering the group back outside. "Today is supposed to be fun. If we can help you remember, that's wonderful. But for now, we have places to be."

"Kiku's right!" Arthur led them around the corner to a short street lined with little shops. It was a quaint little area, and the weekend shoppers were just starting to arrive. Soon, it would be as bustling and loud as an Indian bazaar.

Anya smiled and scooted closer to Kiku, who laid an arm around her shoulders. She fiddled with the green heart around her neck as they made their way down the street.

"Here we go…there're a bunch of little stores around here we can go look around in." Toni smiled, bounding towards a certain store while the others stared.

"It's his favorite store." Arthur explained with a poorly concealed smirk. "Come on, I'll show you."

The remaining four walked into the store after the boisterous Spaniard, seeing why he was so excited. It was Spanish themed, and had different little trinkets from the country. Toni was in the back, talking excitedly to a sales clerk.

The woman was tall, with long dark hair. She laughed, and patted Toni's hair fondly. On closer inspection, Anya saw that she looked a lot like Feliciano. Antonio turned around and got a happy grin on his face when he saw the others.

"Holly, come here! I want you to meet my mama!" The youngest walked up, a blush prominent on her face as she looked up at Toni's mom.

"So, you're the _chica _Toni is always talking about? He was right, you _are _pretty!" she gushed at the blushing teen. "I'm sorry that my husband and I weren't home to see you on your birthday, but we had inventory to stock down here." She sighed, shaking her head. "Toni, your father hasn't taken inventory in over a year, and he's so surprised when things get so cluttered-"

"_Mama_," Toni said pointedly, blushing.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she laughed, holding her hand out to Holly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, _cariño_."

"Y-You too, Mrs. Carriedo."

After awkward conversations and introductions to the rest of the group, (and one too many stories about Antonio's childhood) the crew headed out for some actual shopping and sightseeing. There was a lot going on; Autumnal festivals were popular in small towns like this.

"Look," Anya pointed. "There's an art show over there by that café." Row after row of charcoals, watercolors, and abstract pieces were displayed.

"Artie, look," Holly whispered, pointing to some paintings at the back. There were several nighttime paintings of the sea and the sky; two things that they knew Anya had loved in the past. They grinned at each other, nodded, and simultaneously dragged Anya across the street.

"Sis, it's so pretty!" Holly cooed, fawning over a seascape painting. The stars were reflected in the crystal waters, and a warm glow on the edges of the canvas gave the impression of lantern light illuminating the space behind the viewer.

"Yeah," she muttered, reaching out to lightly brush the rough canvas. The paint was about as smooth as gravel, but it felt amazing under Anya's fingertips. It was almost like the water in the painting was moving beneath them… "It's beautiful."

"That's the eastern sky," Toni murmured, coming up behind her. He traced certain constellations with the tip of his finger. "Aquilla… Draco…"

"Orion," Anya added with a wistful smile. "And there's Scorpius. When that one hits the ocean…" She broke off, shaking her head. "I –I don't know."

"That means it's fishing season," Holly said brightly. "Back home. See? You remember this, Anya!"

"And every good sailor knows his sky," Kiku pointed out. "Those are key navigation points, _Captain._" Antonio flinched at the title, but didn't comment. Arthur had tried jogging his memory last night through text messages, but had failed to mention that he had supposedly been a _captain_.

"Are you okay?" Holly asked softly. Toni looked down to find the girl looking at him with hopeful eyes. He nodded quickly and gave her a reassuring smile. She grinned back and trotted over to Arthur, who was already leading them away from the art show. Antonio's smile faded, and he felt something he recognized from his dreams; the hopeless instinct that Holly might just be in love with Arthur.

"Hurry up,_ idiota_." Anya smiled and nudged him softly before taking Kiku's hand. Toni sighed, wondering when the older twin's insults had become just another way of communication and endearment. He hadn't heard Anya calling him an idiot; he had heard a frightened girl assuring him that they were in the same boat. It gave him hope that he could get on equal footing with Arthur again. He was not giving up.

They walked around for hours, just laughing, talking, and drinking in the sights. Kiku worked almost exclusively with Anya, trying desperately to bring back _something_. His efforts didn't amount to much more than a few phases of déjà vu and an unnatural knowledge of the ocean, but it was something.

Antonio wasn't doing nearly as well. Arthur and Holly had teamed up and were quizzing him at every turn. They would start a story and ask him to fill in what had happened next. Of course, that was useless. It didn't help that he kept noticing how _close _Holly and Arthur were. When they weren't trying to help his memory, they were laughing and walking together, almost close enough to touch each other. It was driving him insane, especially since he knew that the only way he would ever be that close to Holly again would be to recall the same experiences.

"I'm exhausted," Holly announced, pulling on Arthur's sleeve. "Artie, is it time to eat yet?"

"I'm kinda hungry too," Anya admitted sheepishly. "Hey, this place looks nice…"

"_Tienes hambre, chiquita_?" Antonio smirked.

"_Tengo mucho_, for your information, _bastardo_."

They stopped at the small Italian café at the end of the street. They each ordered a small dish of pasta, either spaghetti or alfredo. Kiku let Anya slide into the booth first, while Holly sat in between Arthur and Antonio on the other side. While pretending to studiously eat her pasta, Anya was discreetly studying the interactions between Arthur and her little sister.

Arthur and Holly sat close to each other, and they were acting…_closer_ than they had been. It had been hinted at throughout the day, but seeing them together now made the attraction all the more obvious. Anya watched through lowered eyelids as they reminisced over events that she couldn't remember. Arthur had come out and told her his feelings for Holly, but even that confession hadn't held this much warmth and tenderness. Anya had to admit… It was very…

She frowned. What was the word she was looking for? She shrugged it off when she realized that Kiku was trying to get her attention. It would come to her later.

"That was great!" Holly cheered after they finished eating and left. "What's next?"

"Does anyone want ice cream?" Kiku smiled. "I'm buying; no arguments. Antonio took care of breakfast and Arthur got the tip for the food. It's my turn." A resounding 'yes' brought them to the ice cream stand. They all ordered their own, the guys going for chocolate while the girls dug in to strawberry.

"Thank you, Kiku!" Holly grinned at her sister's boyfriend, wincing around a brain freeze.

"It isn't a problem," he said, blushing.

By this time, the buzz of being out and about was wearing off. It was getting cooler, and after all of the walking, no one was up for anything besides a long nap. "We probably need to head home…" Arthur said reluctantly, checking the time on his phone.

Holly looked up at him from her spot on his arm. "I don't want to go yet, Artie," she murmured under her breath, blushing. She leaned her head on his shoulder and shivered slightly, the ice cream combining with the cooling air to create a chill.

Arthur took off his black jacket, draping it over her shoulders like a blanket. "Is that better?"

"A-Artie, you don't have-"

"It isn't a problem, love. I'm fine." He smiled and put a protective arm back around her waist.

"Th-Then thanks," Holly grinned. They started back in the direction of the Jeep.

"Are you cold, Anya-chan?" Kiku looked down at his girlfriend, who was trying to rub circulation into her arms. _Like sister, like sister._

"Y-Yeah…I'm so dumb, forgetting a jacket." She sighed quietly, mentally berating herself.

"Here, you can wear mine." He chivalrously helped her into his jacket.

"Are you sure?" she asked, already sighing into the warm leather. She didn't mind the too-long sleeves; they made her feel cozy and safe.

"I'm sure," he promised, leaning down to give her cheek a light peck.

"Thank you, Kiku." _For everything_.

"You're welcome."

"Hey, Artie?" Holly stopped walking.

"Yes?"

"Do you hear that?" She pointed in the direction of the town square.

"Hear wha-?" He cut off, hearing soft music playing from the direction she pointed in.

"A guitar, violin, and flute," Anya whispered. She gasped and squeezed Kiku's hand tightly, and he knew what she was thinking; and seeing.

"Good," he whispered. "This is one of my favorite memories of you." Kiku gently wiped the happy tears from her face with his thumb.

"I freaking love you," she hiccupped, still crying. Images and emotions washed over her, rewarding her with the night on the deck with Kiku.

Arthur suddenly grinned and changed course toward the music. "Follow me," he ordered.

"Wait, where are we- ah!" Holly was pulled along by the blond, the others attempting to keep up. They found the source of the music in a walk-in music hangout. Three young musicians were somehow playing a popular pop song on the classical instruments. To everyone's shock, the room was nearly empty.

"Here we are," Artie smiled as he pulled Holly into the small area. "Hey, can you guys play something slow?" Arthur winked at them, nodding ever so slightly in the direction of the girl with him. They grinned and nodded quickly, talking it over before starting a song softly.

"A-Artie?" Holly blushed. "What are you doing?"

"I always keep my promises, Holly. In one way or another. Dance with me?" He smiled at her and bowed with a flourish, extending his hand to her.

She blushed and took it in her own. "O-Oh…sure." They slowly started to move to the music, Holly's blush growing progressively darker.

"Kiku?" Anya smiled as she sat, watching her sister quietly.

"Hm?"

"They look so happy together."

Toni made an annoyed sound at her statement. "Yeah, they do I guess." The Spaniard sounded almost whiny. "But Anya, I love your sister as well. I just wish I could remember all of these things that they're talking about…"

"You will," Anya assured him. "If I can remember, I'm sure you can."

"So you really do believe in all of this?" Toni asked, skeptical. "I thought you didn't believe in magic."

"I believe in what Holly and Kiku tell me," she smiled, squeezing her boyfriend's hand lovingly. "I have to trust that everything will work out." They all turned to watch as Holly and Arthur danced.

Holly smiled at the Brit as they twirled around, his arm never leaving her waist in the way her arms never left his shoulders. "I love you, Holly," Arthur whispered, a blush lighting his cheeks up.

"I love you too, Artie." She smiled and leaned up, kissing his lips softly. Antonio sighed and walked across the square towards a line of jewelry stores and antique shops.

Anya sat there quietly as she watched her sister. The way she and Arthur were so comfortable with each other shocked her slightly. It's like they were made for each other. They never argued, never yelled, anything. Anya finally realized that there was only one word to really describe the way they looked. They were just…happy.

"Hey, where did Toni get off to?" Arthur asked upon their return.

"He's grousing by the bracelets." Anya nodded slightly in the direction the Spaniard had gone in. "I think he's just upset-" She caught Arthur's eye, and his pointed look reminded her of their agreement not to tell Holly about Toni's feelings yet.

"Because he isn't remembering things as quickly as I am," she finished, thinking on the spot. _There. Happy now?_

"We were a little harsh in the interrogations, weren't we?" Arthur nodded sadly. "I mean, really, Holly. How was he supposed to remember who brought you up to the top deck, _drunk_, when he didn't even believe that you'd gotten yourself stoned on vodka? Even _I _have trouble believing that one, and I remember being there!"

"I was depressed," Holly pouted defensively. "What would you have done if Alfred or Mattie had been kidnapped by bloodthirsty, evil Japanese military?"

Everyone automatically looked to Kiku.

"S-Sorry," Holly blushed. "That came out wrong."

"What are you talking about?" All eyes flicked to Anya. "I got kidnapped by the _army_?"

"The navy, actually," Arthur corrected softly. "Holly, didn't you tell her about this?"

"I-I thought Kiku told her…"

"Told me what?" Anya demanded, looking around wildly. "What do I not remember?" She looked to Kiku for answers, and the utterly trustful look in her eyes nearly broke his heart. How could he have not told her about something so important? The truth was, he hadn't wanted to.

"Anya…" Kiku started, and failed to speak. "Y-You might not like this…" Less than a minute later, the trust in Anya's violet eyes had wavered, recovered, and eventually been shattered when Kiku revealed the circumstances of their _real _first meeting.

"I can't believe you!" she spat venomously. "All of you; how could you keep something like that from me?"

"Gomen," Kiku apologized meekly. "I-I want to say that it never crossed my mind. But I think I just wanted to avoid talking about it."

"You kidnapped me," Anya said, the words feeling both wrong and familiar. "Why? Why would you do something like that?" The knowledge unearthed something else, and she growled dangerously. "And Arthur, you and Antonio took us from the village!" She had never been less happy for a random memory to appear. "You held us hostage, you bastard!"

Arthur winced. Without the Spanish inflection to soften the blow, the insult hurt. "Anya, please. This is the modern world. That's all-"

"In the past?" Anya chuckled darkly. "I seriously take back every good thing I ever said about you! And you can just _forget_ about Holly!"

"Anya!" her sister hissed. "You're making a scene. Be quiet." The commanding tone in Holly's voice shocked her so much that she actually shut up for a minute, giving the younger twin the opportunity to talk.

"Look, we've been through this before," she said calmly. "I don't care if you don't remember it. You were just as angry the first time, but you finally saw that Arthur is a really great guy; Toni, too. And for the record, you can't decide who I'm with. I'm not going to stop seeing Arthur, and I hope he won't forget about me."

"You gave them your approval personally," Kiku said softly, reaching for her hand.

She jerked away from him reflexively, and instantly regretted it. He couldn't hide the hurt quickly enough for her not to notice. "I'm sorry," she whispered, putting a hand to her head. It was spinning, or maybe it was the room that was swirling around her. "I –I need some time to think. Don't wait up." And with that, Anya ran back out into the street.

Kiku moved to go after her, but Arthur stepped in to stop him. "She threw a fit like this before," he explained. "Between that and the next time I saw her, she'd loosened up a bit. You know how Anya is; after a while, she'll cool down."

"But she was never this angry with me before," he whispered sadly, watching her leave. "Not even when she thought I'd been using her. This isn't how it happened before. What's going on?"

"It's just Anya's weird trust issues," Holly sighed. "She's mad because she fell in love with you before knowing all of this."

Kiku blushed, but knew deep down that Holly was right. He was willing to wait.

* * *

><p>"Baka," Anya sniffed, walking down the quiet street. She didn't even know which boy she was insulting this time. To her, they all deserved it- Arthur for being so darn calm about the whole thing, Antonio for being a jerk and running off, and Kiku-<p>

God, what was she going to do about Kiku? Anya groaned, frustrated, and sat down on the curb next to a flea market display.

Yes, he was pretty much her idea of a perfect guy. He was smart, kind, talented, _very_ good looking, and he was always watching out for her. But he had kept a whole other part of their relationship a secret. If she was being totally honest with herself, Anya admitted that it hurt her more than made her angry. She had put all of her trust in someone for the first time since she was a little girl, believing him unconditionally. And it had turned out to be all lies.

Anya sighed, reminding herself that she knew Kiku would never lie to her. The bond between them had started somewhere, right? If the things she was suddenly remembering were any indication, her past self had trusted the polite boy, too, despite the apparent abduction. And both times, she had fallen in love with him.

The mere thought drove away her depression. She _had _fallen for Kiku, and he loved her; a fact that she was grateful for. Somehow, they had been given a chance to live a peaceful life together; was she going to throw it away over a temper tantrum? No. She was-

"Miss Michaelis?" A familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Anya looked up and nearly screamed when she saw Mr. Souma looking down on her, loaded down with shopping bags.

"M-Mr. Souma!" she squeaked, shooting up from her spot on the curb. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Browsing," he smirked, gesturing to the display behind her. Anya turned and realized that she had been sitting right next to a collection of pocket knives and other small, decorative blades. "I've just purchased the most wonderful little dagger…"

"A _what_?"

"Here," he offered. "Would you like to see?" Mr. Souma reached into a bag on his wrist and withdrew a beautiful porcelain sheath with a blade inside. The porcelain was painted with delicate images of animals and the ocean, and was smooth to the touch.

Entranced, Anya drew the blade out and marveled at the winding design etched into the stainless steel blade. She put a finger to the tip and winced as it drew a bead of blood; it was pretty, but as sharp as ice.

"It's a very… _nice_ dagger," Anya said politely, sheathing the blade and handing it back to her teacher. "But we'll have to talk again another time, sir. Holly is waiting for me."

"Are you sure?" he asked, surprising her. He didn't seem like the kind of teacher who normally took an interest in his students' lives outside of class. "You seemed like you had a lot on your mind." Anya looked for any trace of sarcasm, but Mr. Souma seemed to be taking this very seriously.

"I'm fine," she assured him honestly. "Some things have come up from a long time ago, and I'm just trying to figure it out."

"I know the exact feeling," Mr. Souma said cryptically. "Miss Michaelis, I hate to bother you, but could you help me with these bags? My car isn't far from here, but I've been carrying these around all day…" He gestured tiredly to the bags in his arms.

"Oh, of course!" Anya moved to take some of the bags from her teacher, but something made her pause. She felt _something_ in her gut telling her that something bad was going to happen, but chalked it down to nerves and her memories acting up. So she smiled, ignoring the warning sirens, and hefted a few of the bags. "Lead the way, sir."

* * *

><p>"I'm going after her," Kiku said finally. "It's not safe for a girl to be walking around alone, even in a busy place like this." After waiting in front of the hangout for nearly fifteen minutes, he was getting worried.<p>

"She's just cooling off," Holly insisted, rolling her eyes. Kiku's thought process had gotten even more old fashioned since regaining his memories. "But I'll go find her if it makes you feel any better."

"No, we'll all go," Arthur said firmly, watching as Antonio approached them. "Where have you been, Toni? We've lost Anya, and we need to find her and leave."

"I was around," the Spaniard said generically, shrugging. "How did you lose Anya?"

"She ran off after remembering that everyone in this room except Holly has kidnapped her at some point," Kiku muttered dryly.

"You _kidnapped _her, _hermano?_" Toni laughed. "Nice way to get the girl, don't you think?"

"You and Arthur held us hostage," Holly reminded him smugly.

_Great way to get the girl_, Toni despaired inwardly.

"And technically, I wasn't the one who kidnapped her," the former naval captain defended. "It was-!" All of the color drained from his face, and he was suddenly having trouble remembering how to breathe.

"Yeah, who did take her?" Arthur wondered out loud. "Which slime ball on your so-called crew had the audacity to-?"

"It was Souma," Kiku choked.

"Who?"

"Mr. Souma!" he shouted. Three shocked pairs of eyes met his.

"Mr. Souma is from the old times?" Holly breathed. Of course; she had completely forgotten about the captain who had captured her on the navy ship. He had even _told _her his name, and it certainly explained her reaction to him on the first day of school…

"That's right…" Arthur murmured to himself. "Of course I wouldn't remember it well… We were never really introduced, after all… And I was feverish for half of my time with the navy. But how the bloody hell did he-?"

"So you're saying that Mr. Souma really _is _evil?" Antonio ogled, and then gasped. "We need to find Anya _now!_" He took off in the direction he had previously come from.

"Why?" Holly asked, frightened. Even as fast as she was, she struggled to keep up with the frantic Spaniard.

"Because I just saw Mr. Souma talking to her at the flea market!" he shouted, stumbling to a halt near the corner. Where a white Sedan had been parked only moments earlier, there lay a dark bundle. The coat Kiku had given Anya had fallen on the ground in a crumpled mess, and a note lay on top of it.

Holly picked it up with shaky hands, passing the jacket off to Kiku as she unfolded the note. "What is this?" she asked, her brow wrinkling in confusion.

"Let me see," Kiku said quickly. He instantly recognized the hastily written kanji, and his heart sank to his knees. "He's insane."

"What does it say?" Arthur blurted anxiously.

Kiku looked at each of his friends with a solemn look. "He addressed it to 'Captain Honda'. It says, 'And so history is begun again. You will not find rest until I have my retribution. Refuse to deliver, and she dies. Tell no one.'"

"So what is that supposed to mean?" Antonio asked. The others' horrified looks weren't very comforting at all.

"Basically," Kiku wavered. "He remembers everything, including his goals. Unless we give Souma the Earth's Heart-"

"Which was most likely lost back in the raid," Arthur supplied grimly.

"O-Oh, my God…" A tear dripped down Holly's cheek onto the paper. "He's gonna kill Anya."

* * *

><p><strong>DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN! Told ya we had a little plot thrown in there somewhere! Sorry, Maya is a total sucker for a good damsel in distress thingy. And just so we're clear; it <em>was <em>Souma who almost ran them over. And now he's suddenly remembering the past, even though he wasn't in the circle? *innocent* Why, how could that be possible? There couldn't be an incredibly clever reason for it, could there? Read and Review and ask questions, please! See ya next week!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, action time! Maya had a lot of time on her hands when she wrote this chapter, and has been obsessing over it for the last three days trying to make it _perfect_. Fingers crossed? Here we go!**

**But yeah, sorry for the late update^^' We were both at Dollywood all day. Christina finally overcame her fear of rollercoasters. Maya had to drag her onto the rides, but it was worth it.**

**We no own v.v**

* * *

><p>"Yes, just over an hour ago," Kiku repeated into the receiver. He steadied himself against the couch while trying to calm Mr. Alvarez over the phone. "No, don't call the police! I know him, sir. He wouldn't hesitate to… to hurt her if he found out that we even told <em>you<em>." He listened intently, glanced worriedly at Holly, and tried to make a subtle sojourn into the kitchen. "Yes, sir. We'll do whatever it…"

Holly choked back a sob, trying to ignore the implied word that Kiku had avoided; _kill_. It was happening again. Anya was in terrible danger, and this time they had no way to save her. This time, there was no illusion of diplomacy. Mr. Souma was going to kill her sister.

"I want to know how he even remembered anything," Arthur demanded, pacing around the twins' apartment. "He was nowhere near the circle, and either way, there's no way he should remember before Antonio or Anya."

"Who cares?" Holly wailed. "We have to do something! Can't we just find them and save Anya like last time?"

Arthur opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted when Kiku ran back into the room with a slip of paper. "Mr. Alvarez gave me Souma's address," he explained, already heading for the door. "If they're somewhere else, we'll keep looking. Let's go!"

"Hold on!" Arthur shouted, exasperated. "This isn't like before. We can't just barge in to his home armed to the teeth- he'll have us arrested."

"So?" Holly huffed, not seeing the problem.

"He said to keep others out of it," Toni said. They all turned to him, slightly shocked by his rational thinking. "If the police get into this, Souma will find a way to hurt Anya before we can get to them. We need a plan, Holly." He looked between her and Kiku seriously. "And I'm sorry to say it, but if you and loverboy can't keep your cool, you aren't going to be any help."

"Antonio," Kiku hissed. "Can't you be just a _little _sensitive? Her sister-and my girlfriend- has been abducted by someone whose capabilities you can't begin to comprehend. I know you don't remember, so I'll spell it out for you. Souma single handedly duped the entire Imperial Navy of Japan into trying to kill you and Arthur, _tried _to kill me, captured Anya-!"

"And held Holly hostage against you," Arthur whispered. "At swordpoint. He isn't afraid to kill, mate." He placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You remember that. Don't you?"

"…Yes," Toni admitted. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out that same red ribbon. He held it out to Holly. "I think this is yours."

"Toni," she said breathlessly. "How did you…?" She took the ribbon from him, gently rolling it around in her fingers. "You really remember?"

"That's one of my only clear memories," he said softly. "If the bastard who took you away really was Souma…" Toni clenched his jaw, determined. "I promise. We're going to save Anya, rules or no rules."

"I wouldn't go that far," Arthur stepped in. He smiled craftily. "But we may have to get a bit _creative_. Finding the Earth's Heart is out of the question, after all. If it even survived the raid, it would be in a treasury, or some top-security museum somewhere. Souma's insane to think we could somehow procure it for him. So we're going to have to be crafty about this."

"That's what I like to hear," Kiku said dryly. "A pirate to catch the renegade. So what are you suggesting?"

* * *

><p><em>I hate history class<em>, Anya thought tiredly. Through squinted eyes, she could barely take in the obscene words and doodles that littered her desk. She had tried scribbling them out, but most of them were carved, rather than drawn, into the faux wood top.

_Darnit, I need to wake up_. She slowly raised her head, hoping not to be noticed. It wasn't normal for Mr. Souma to-

_Mr. Souma!_

Anya jumped out of her seat, tripping in the process and sprawling on the concrete floor. Rubbing her head and shins gingerly, she stood to face a nearly empty classroom. _How had she gotten to school?_

"Is there a problem, Miss Anya?" Mr. Souma asked from his desk, not looking at her. Unbelievably, he was calmly grading papers from the week before. "Do you have a question?"

"Only about a million!" she roared. "Mr. Souma, what am I doing here?"

"Stop playing dumb, Miss Anya," he chastised. "And be quiet; I'm trying to concentrate." He shook his head at the paper in his hands. "The plans for the first American textiles came from _Canada?_ We haven't even discussed that country. Deplorable." Another bright red _X_ on the paper.

"Mr. Souma," Anya growled, approaching his desk. "Tell me what's going on! Where is everyone?"

"It is a Saturday, you know," the teacher sighed, finally accepting that she wasn't going to shut up. "And I have papers to grade, if you would be so kind."

"Fine, then I'll be going. Sorry to _bother _you." She stomped over to the door and grasped the knob, fully intending to make a dramatic exit. It wouldn't budge. "What the-?"

_Thunk_. Anya jumped back, clutching at her ear and staring at the No. 2 pencil protruding from the door. Her hand came away stained red.

"Hmm, too close. I apologize; it seems I've gotten rusty. Retrieve that for me, please," Mr. Souma said idly, twirling another pencil in his hand. Anya stared; without even looking at his hand, her teacher was handling the small object like a trained baton twirler. The thought made her snicker until the pencil flew from his hand and made a course directly below the first one, passing a centimeter from her neck.

Anya shakily pried the utensils from the old wooden door and marveled at the fine points; what idiot had ever said that pencils weren't weapons? She shook off the thought. As if these little things could actually-

"Some time in the next century, Miss Anya." Mr. Souma beckoned her forward. She tentatively obeyed, making slow, shuffling steps. She laid the pencils on the edge of his desk, and refused to move again.

"Please unlock the door," she said evenly. Her cursed voice betrayed her bewilderment and fear, but at least she didn't stammer. "I want to leave."

Mr. Souma looked into her eyes, and Anya was shocked by the change in them. They were, if possible, even darker then she had thought. It seemed as if his pupils had dilated past even the iris. He stood, suddenly towering over her. Since when had he been so tall? It was eerily similar to the subtle transformations in Arthur and Kiku…

"You're from the past, too," she gasped, suddenly backing away again. "Who are you?"

"I told you to stop playing dumb, Miss Anya," he reminded her, looking a little peeved. "It is I who should be asking you these things. What did you do to cause this?"

"It wasn't me," Anya said heatedly before she could stop herself. "Arthur had that stupid spell-!"

"I knew it," Souma growled, clenching his fists. "He's always causing some sort of trouble." He whirled on Anya, who was trying futilely to scoot away from him without him noticing. "Come over here," he ordered sharply.

"N-Not until you tell me who you are," Anya scrambled, still trying to get over the shock of nearly being killed by wood and graphite. "Why did you bring me here?" She let out a small grunt as she backed into a desk.

The dark eyed teacher studied her for a minute, reminding Anya rather accurately of a shark stalking its prey. He strode purposely forward, keeping his eyes locked on hers. The edge of the desk dug cruelly into her back as she tried to lean away from him. "You really don't remember me," he whispered, unable to find the recognition he was seeking. "How strange."

"I don't remember anything," she explained automatically. "Well, a few things… But not… much." Anya trailed off as Souma came to a halt barely a foot in front of her.

"Well, that changes things, doesn't it?" he murmured softly. Souma suddenly straightened, clicking his heels together sharply. "Then it is a pleasure to re-make your acquaintance, Miss Anya. Captain Ryu Souma, of the Imperial fleet of Japan, at your service. We met during your time with the navy. In answer to your question, you blacked out by the flea market. Do you remember that?"

"…So you're with the people who kidnapped me before?" Anya questioned warily, ignoring his explanation- it didn't seem right. She quickly elaborated, "Holly and Kiku have been trying to fill me in."

"I see," he said simply. "How is it that they know everything, and you don't?"

"Something about a circle?" Anya shrugged. In spite of her instincts, the odd pencil-throwing, and her fishy arrival at the school, she really couldn't bring herself to be scared of this man. "But that theory must be off, because they never mentioned you before…"

"As far as I know, the only people I know in this time who I met before are you and Mister Honda," Souma informed her. "Yes, I know _of _the others, but you were the only ones who I ever had a conversation with. I was never properly introduced to your captains or Miss Holly." He sat on the edge of his desk, and Anya felt comfortable enough to relax a little bit.

"Really?" she said politely. "So why was I, er, kidnapped?"

"It was a grievous accident, for which you are entirely irresponsible." Souma shook his head sadly. "And you say you don't remember? I could tell you about it…"

* * *

><p>"Arthur, you've been knocking for five minutes," Holly groaned. "He's not going to answer. I doubt he's even home."<p>

"You're right," the blond sighed. "To hell with protocol, then." He took a few steps back, ran forward… And promptly kicked the door of the house in.

"Arthur!" Kiku shouted, horrified. "You said you were going to be _creative_, not destroy private property!"

"I got creative with my foot," the former captain grinned. "Ah, this feels just like the old days…"

"When you were a criminal!" Kiku stepped forward and tried the handle of the open door. "And it wasn't even locked!"

"Bite me, Honda." Arthur carefully proceeded into Ryu Souma's home with Holly following right on his heels. "Holy… Kiku, Toni! You have to see this."

The remaining rescuers followed quickly, and nearly tripped over the disaster zone that used to be a living room. The furniture was mostly tipped over, and the couch cushions had been torn to shreds. A lamp lay shattered on the floor, with the shade on the other side of the room in a potted plant.

"Did Souma do this?" Holly whispered, shaking. "What if Anya tried to fight him?"

Arthur and Kiku both shook their heads. "This wasn't a struggle," the blond deduced. "There's no path anywhere, and it's contained to only this room." He gestured to the perfectly clean kitchen, where the only thing that looked suspicious was a superfluous block of alarmingly large cooking knives.

"The couch was torn with a knife, or some other blade," Kiku added. He fingered the torn material thoughtfully. "With a knife involved, Anya would have been subdued far more quickly, and there wouldn't be all of these unnecessary slash marks. Something else happened here."

"I think I can guess what," Toni chuckled. He reached under the dented lamp shade and pulled an empty glass bottle out of the plant. Lifting the bottle to his nose, he recoiled from the acrid smell of alcohol. "Someone had some _fun_ last night. Maybe he got so drunk he actually knocked the memories right back into his evil little head."

"Toni, that has no basis in reality whatso…" Arthur trailed off, groaning. "Bloody… That could actually work."

"So we just need to get Anya drunk when she gets back? Hey, Honda! Christmas came early this year!" Toni crowed.

"Focus, Carriedo," Kiku frowned disapprovingly. "Holly, help me look around for anything else."

"Hey Toni," Arthur said sharply. "Could you come in here for just a squick?" He gestured to the kitchen and instantly lit into him. "Can you stop making idiotic jokes? Think about Holly, you git! Joking about Anya's relations with Kiku isn't helping anything!"

"I'm always thinking about her, Art," he snapped quietly. "Stop acting like I'm being insensitive just because I don't remember everything." Toni sighed. "Look. The thing is, I _don't _remember everything. I don't know how to tell if there was a struggle. I don't know how to kick a door in. And I especially don't know how to play the hero. The only thing I know how to do right now is to try and be there for Holly. I remember that much."

Arthur looked into his friend's eyes and saw that he was deadly serious. He softened, acknowledging it. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. This is just a nightmare. It feels like I let the girls down again." Arthur closed his eyes against the threatening migraine. "It was always because of me that these things happened before. Even with the full knowledge of the past, I couldn't keep it from happening again. Maybe history really does repeat itself." _Maybe the spell only made things worse. _He didn't want to say it out loud, but the prospect was tearing him apart.

"Impossible, amigo!" Toni clapped Arthur hard on the shoulder. "Look around you; yes, Anya's been kidnapped again. But they found their father, right? And you said he was supposed to die by the time that happened!" He looked his friend steadily in the eye. "Mr. Alvaraz is _alive_. Your spell changed that. This story isn't over yet."

"…Thanks, mate." Arthur grimaced. "I just hope we can change it enough before something worse happens."

"We will," Holly agreed. The boys turned to find her and Kiku watching from the kitchen entryway. "You went ahead without me last time," she continued, locking her eyes on Arthur's. "I'm not going to sit back and be useless while Anya's in trouble."

"No one expects you to," Antonio assured her, looking quizzically at Arthur. The Brit shook his head nearly imperceptibly; he could explain later. They made a silent pact; no more fighting until this crisis was resolved. But her words had reminded him of something…

"There's nothing here," Kiku said out of the blue. "Where else could we look?"

"His car isn't outside," Holly pointed out. "They could be anywhere by now."

"I don't think so," Toni shook his head. "If he really wants us to get him this jewel, or whatever it is, we need to know where to bring it. He'll be close by."

"Spoken like the strategist I know and hate," Arthur grinned. "So what do you suggest?"

"I really hate to say this, but I think we need Alvarez," Toni groaned. "Is it too risky?"

"We need to do whatever's fastest," Holly insisted. She wrung her hands worriedly. "Who knows what Souma is doing to Anya right now?"

* * *

><p>"This. Is freaking delicious!" Anya exclaimed, biting into the snack. "What's it called, again?"<p>

"Pocky," Mr. Souma repeated, amused. "More? Help yourself." He continued to grade papers while they talked. "So, are you remembering anything else?"

"I think so," she said cheerfully. "You gave me a dress to wear at the captains' dinner, right? And then we had dinner…" She blushed lightly when she remembered dancing with Kiku. "And the last time I remember seeing you was when we said goodnight. Is that right?"

As he had been several times in the last hour, Souma was shocked by the change in the girl's attitude towards him. In the past, she had always been wary of him, although never afraid. Now, she was outright friendly.

"You are Anya, aren't you?" He sounded almost accusatory as he looked closely at her.

"Wha-? Yeah, of course I am," she blinked. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you were never this comfortable with me before," he smirked. "I recall you once called me something that would make you blush to repeat."

"Sorry," Anya grimaced. "You do sorta creep me out still. No offense."

"None taken," he waved her off, focusing on _another _wrong answer. "Your sister called me 'that scary captain.'"

"…Really?" she laughed. "That sounds like Holly… I think she called Kiku 'Mr. Navy Guy' before she knew his name." Suddenly, she looked embarrassed. "Hey, Mr. Souma?"

"Hm?"

"C-Could I use the restroom?" Anya asked sheepishly, blushing. "We've been here for a while… And I ate right before I saw you at the market."

"Of course," Souma said automatically. He pulled the key to his classroom door out of the desk and stood. "I'll go as well, while we're out."

"Oh, you don't have to go with me," she said quickly, reaching for the key. "I'll give it back before I leave."

"You shouldn't go home on your own," he sighed. He gently but firmly held the key out of her reach. "We've been over this. If you faint again, I'll have a guilty conscience for the rest of the school year. Just wait until I finish these papers, and I'll drive you home." He unlocked the door and tucked the key securely into his pocket.

"It's really close," Anya tried again. "Holly and I walk here every day, and it only takes five minutes. I'll seriously be fine. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

Souma grinned secretively. "Trust me, Miss Anya. You being here is no trouble at all."

Anya stared at him for a moment before slowly walking to the bathroom, feeling extremely creeped out and inwardly jittery. She waited just inside the bathroom door until she heard water running in the men's room next door before taking a deep breath and running at a dead sprint toward the door of the field house.

She was one second too slow opening the door.

"I thought you knew the rules of my classroom," a voice growled behind her. Something sharp poked against the back of her neck, causing her to convulse with shudders. "Rule number one; listen."

"I did," Anya shivered. "You said you had never talked to Holly in the past."

"You were too observant even then," Souma chuckled darkly. He roughly nudged Anya back to the end of the hall. The nickname 'The Dungeon' had never seemed more accurate. "Much more so than your darling sister. Honestly; nearly getting herself run over in a _parking lot?_"

"That was _you?_" Anya whirled on Mr. Souma, and barely flinched when the tip of the decorative dagger sliced a narrow swath across her cheek. "You had better be kidding, you bastard!"

"Another fun fact about the past, Miss Anya." Souma roughly shoved her into the room, sending her crashing into a row of desks. He locked the door behind them with an ominous click. Before Anya could find her feet, Souma was right in front of her. He took hold of a hank of her hair and pulled her to her feet, holding the knife close to her face. "I _never_ kid."

Anya struggled anyway, but no matter how hard she tried, she had nothing on the strength of a grown man. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded. "What did I ever do to you?"

"In the past? Nothing. Now _sit down_." He finally forced her down into a desk and Anya admitted defeat. She shrunk into the chair, boxed in on three sides. "In fact, you were utterly insignificant to my plans. You would have saved you and your sister so much trouble if you'd never met Arthur Kirkland."

"Arthur?" Anya panted, her head spinning. It wasn't all clear, but Souma's hostility had opened up her mind in ways even Kiku hadn't been able to achieve. Her entire perspective of her teacher was clear to her now; she realized that her initial instincts had been a little off. Mr. Souma wasn't just a creepy teacher. He was absolutely insane.

"That's right," Souma sneered, waltzing back to his desk without a care in the world. "And with your help, I'm going to settle a centuries-old grudge before dinner." He wiped Anya's blood from the tip of the dagger and looked up at her suddenly. "More pocky?"

"Go… to…" Anya slumped forward into her chair, completely exhausted. She tried not to think of the blade, resting mere inches from Souma's fingers. "Just shut up."

Mr. Souma smirked and calmly resumed grading papers. "A+, Princess. Very well done."

* * *

><p>Holly sat silently in the back of Arthur's Jeep, clutching the door handle for dear life. Normally, she would have yelled for Arthur to slow down, but this was Anya they were going to find. The only other place they could think of was the school. If Souma hadn't taken Anya there, they were stuck.<p>

Arthur was busy in the driver's seat, trying to work out a plan of action with Kiku without careening off of the road. "It's our best bet," he was saying, shouting to be heard over the wind and the engine. "It's a Saturday, and Alvarez said that Souma's is the only functioning classroom in the entire field house. To top it off, there's only one key, which he always has with him." He shook his head, overwhelmed by the sheer irony. "This sure brings back memories. Toni; anything?"

"Sorry," the Spaniard sighed, running his thumb across Holly's knuckles in comforting strokes. She squeezed his hand in thanks, still looking straight ahead. "Nothing's coming back. It's not fair; if I was twenty-one, I could just-"

"There's no guarantee that he remembered things from the vodka," Holly piped up, rolling her eyes. All three guys let out a breath they hadn't realized they'd been holding; the younger twin had been silent since they left Mr. Souma's house, only taking a moment on the phone to exchange greetings with her father. "His head could just be so messed up that it works differently from ours," she added with a weak smile.

"That is a possibility," Kiku mused, twisting around in his seatbelt to look at her. "Mr. Alvarez gave him a pretty big pop on the head, didn't he? You know, when he thought I was attacking you."

"Really? Interesting…" The resident magician started running the figures in his head. "If he really did sustain brain injury, and you put that with all of the alcohol he consumed…" He shook his head. "It's a possibility, but that isn't one of the named properties of the spell. It would explain how he could remember so quickly; _if _he was supposed to be here in the first place. The only people who should even be here are people close to our hearts, and no one who was far outside of the circle should even know any life but this one."

Kiku looked dejectedly at the windshield, sighing. "Then this is my fault," he despaired. "Souma was like a cousin to me in the past, and he's a friend of my parents in this time." He slammed his fist against the glove box in anger. "I never trusted him, but he was always around. Why doesn't he just disappear?"

"It's not your fault," Holly shook her head. "You've been protecting Anya since before we ever met, even though you didn't have to. The only person to blame is Souma, so let's go kick his butt and get my sister back, already!"

"You heard the lady," Toni grinned. "Step on it, amigo!"

"Okay," Arthur grunted, shifting the throttle into high gear. "Get ready, and hold on to something. We're going to have to break a few laws." Throwing caution to the wind, he pushed the Jeep as hard as it would go. The needle crept up speedometer, steadily rising until it leveled out at almost eighty miles per hour.

Holly squealed and latched on to Toni's arm, squeezing her eyes shut. She let him stroke her hair, knowing that when she opened her eyes again, her stomach would have trouble catching up with the rest of her body. Faster than should have been possible, Arthur banked a hard turn and slid into a parking spot near the school building.

"That's his car," Kiku growled, not hesitating. He vaulted out of the Jeep and ran over to the white Sedan a few spaces away. Cupping his hands against the glare, he looked around inside. "There's nothing here; only some shopping bags," he said, confused.

"He _was _carrying bags at the flea market," Toni pointed out, helping Holly down from the Jeep. "And I'd bet anything that he used that to get Anya to go with him."

"She wouldn't fall for that…" Kiku paused. "Would she? Anya never liked Mr. Souma, so why would she help him with his bags?"

"He's a teacher," Holly said with a small smile, walking over to join him. "No matter what, Anya always tries to be nice to teachers. She told me once that the kids in her middle school science class were so annoying, her teacher was the only one she could stand having a conversation with. Granted, she was also the only teacher who never mentioned our adoption, but still…" She shook her head. "Well, it's now or never. Are we doing this?"

"Of course." Arthur ruffled her hair and stayed near while Toni kept a hold of her hand. Kiku made up the avant-garde as they slowly crossed the grass to the field house. The door came open on the first try. Leading the way down the dim, dilapidated corridor, Kiku tread carefully and listened for any sound that might betray an ambush.

"What's that?" Holly suddenly squeaked, wincing as her too-loud voice bounced off of the walls, mocking her. She pointed shakily to a spot by Kiku's foot. He quickly knelt down and pulled out his cell phone for a light. The droplets on the floor shone red.

"It's fresh," was all Arthur could manage. "And it isn't much. She's okay, love. I promise."

"O-Okay," she breathed, clenching her jaw. "Let's just hurry." She shook off Toni's hand and Arthur's worried look and marched purposefully to the classroom at the end of the hall. Holly knew that she couldn't do much against Mr. Souma, but standing in the hallway gawking at her sister's blood wasn't going to get them anywhere. So she nudged the door open and poked her head around the frame.

"Be careful," Kiku warned. He glided up silently behind her and looked into the room, as well. It appeared to be empty, so he cautiously waved the others forward. "Where is she?" he muttered.

Toni was the last to go in, and just as he passed the sliver of space between the wall and the open door, a flash of silver caught his eye. "_Look out!_" he screamed, yanking Holly and Arthur backwards by the backs of their shirts. Kiku dropped to the floor an instant before something flew over his head and embedded in the blackboard.

"You always were quick, Kiku," Souma cursed. "I nearly had you that time." His face emerged from behind the door, looking peeved to see his new blade lodged in the crumbling surface. "It'll be a pain to remove the old plaster," Souma muttered darkly to himself.

"Where is Anya?" Kiku growled venomously. Even through the anger clouding his mind, he was able to think clearly enough to realize that Souma could have another weapon on him, so he didn't venture any closer. He gingerly retreated and felt around the blackboard, giving the hilt of the dagger a sharp tug. He advanced once again, armed and ready. "What have you done to her, Ryu?"

"I wouldn't be so bold, Honda." The former navy captain smirked and stepped firmly into their view, flipping open a pocket knife as he did so. Dragged with him was a struggling and bleeding Anya. As they shifted, she finally got her teeth into Souma's hand, which had been clamped over her mouth to silence her.

"…!" He cursed and shook out his hand, glaring at the throbbing bite mark. Anya finally locked her eyes on Kiku, and attempted to wrench herself out of Souma's grip again. He quickly tangled his fingers in her hair, ignoring her yelp of pain as he drew the smaller blade against her throat. "Not a word," Souma murmured, pressing the metal into her skin to earn a hiss and a few tears.

Holly's knees wobbled, and this time she welcomed Toni's supporting arm. Was this what the Spaniard had seen when Souma had captured her during the raid? She didn't know how he had stayed conscious.

"Let her go," Kiku croaked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Let her _go_, Souma!" he ordered, his voice rising steadily. "We can't give you the gem- Are you crazy? It's probably at the bottom of the ocean by now."

Souma tightened his hold on Anya as suspicion entered his eyes. "The Earth's Heart?" he asked, laughing hysterically in understanding. "_That's _what you think this is about? That's not what matters now."

"…You mean, it's not?" Arthur glared, slowly walking forward to be even with Kiku. "You put me, my crew, and my dearest friends through _hell _over that blasted jewel! What the bloody hell do you mean, _it doesn't matter?_" His rage was nearly palpable. Holly shivered, feeling it roll over her in waves.

"Then we have nothing else to do here!" she exclaimed hopefully. Her heart fluttered in relief, but dread still occupied her chest. If he didn't want the Heart, why had he hurt Anya?

The older twin jumped, seeming only be seeing her sister for the first time since she entered the room. "No," she said, horrified. "You idiot, what are you doing here?" Anya glared at Antonio. "Get her out of here, you- _mph!_" She was cut short when Souma forced his hand over her jaw once again.

"I thought I told you to be quiet," he reminded her softly, twisting the knife painfully. She took the warning and stilled, but stayed tense, imploring first Toni, then Kiku with her eyes. _Don't let her see this. Please, just get her away from here._

"Holly," Kiku said gently, not tearing his eyes from Anya's. "Can you leave?" The younger twin raised an eyebrow at his choice of words. He hadn't asked her to leave. He had asked if she was able to. Holly shook her head with a small smile; even in the midst of a crisis, Kiku was trying everything he could to keep Anya calm without really separating them.

"I'm not leaving, sis." With Antonio right beside her, she advanced on Souma and joined the others on the front line. "I _can't _leave."

"Actually, you can," Souma sneered, surprising everyone. "You all can," he clarified, withdrawing his knife slowly. "All you have to do is give me what I want- and I _don't _mean the Earth's Heart."

"Anything," Kiku said immediately. "You know that." He eyed the way Souma held the knife; it wasn't trained on Anya any more, but that could change all too easily. They had to finish this quickly. But he was still confused. When had Souma's target ever been anything but the great emerald that had brought them all together?

"Really, now?" the renegade sneered. "Then send Arthur Kirkland over here, under the flag of surrender. A life for a life. Otherwise," he continued, raising the knife again. The tip dragged along the chain of Anya's birthday present, and Souma suddenly jerked the blade upward. Anya yelped as the chain snapped, and watched sadly as the pendant flew across the room to land at Kiku's feet. "You can say goodbye to Miss Anya."

Holly went cold, hardly processing what the crazed man before her had said. Her hand found Arthur's and squeezed hard, grounding him to the spot. "No," she begged softly. "Something else. Anything else."

"That's my bargain," Souma grimaced. Anya had started struggling again, and he was growing impatient. "Refuse, and she dies," he quoted sourly. "Do we have a deal?"

Silence. Then a voice said, "Yes."

"Arthur, you can't!" Holly cried, catching his arm with her other hand. Then she felt guilty; shouldn't she be willing to risk anything for Anya? But another person's life… It wasn't possible.

"Some things just don't change, love." Arthur whispered. "I had a feeling it might come to this. I've got to do this; it's fate." He gently pried Holly's fingers off of him and kissed her cheek for luck, and then cautiously moved so he was nearly within Souma's reach. "We have a deal," he agreed, glaring steadily into his eyes. "But I want to know why. Why me?"

"As if you didn't know!" Souma exploded, gripping Anya so tightly her face began to numb. "You killed her, Kirkland. She was twelve years old, and you killed her!"

"I've never killed a woman, mate," Arthur said calmly. "And I don't know who you could mean."

"Kira," the teacher spat. The venom in his voice stung everyone's ears, but sorrowful tears were rolling unchecked down his face. He was losing it.

"Your sister?" Kiku gasped quietly. "You never told me that Kira was dead! She couldn't be… I saw her in port on her thirteenth birthday."

"In our own time- our_ rightful_ time- I'm sure you did," Souma cried, starting to shake. "After that _pirate _stole the bulk of her dowry. But in this time, she was attacked; mugged and killed by a man who couldn't have even told you his name. That was because of _you_, Kirkland!" His arm lowered, and his hold on Anya wavered. "You changed things, and she died," he sobbed. "You killed my little sister."

Anya's eyes widened in understanding. That was the heart of the matter; it had never been about the jewel. Souma had thought that _she _had done something to change their fates. And, she realized with dread, she had inadvertently thrown Arthur under the bus.

_What did you do to cause this?_

_**Arthur had that stupid spell…!**_

_Well, that changes things…_

_Give me Arthur…_

_You killed her!_

Toni seemed to realize this, too, and wondered what he would do to anyone who caused the deaths of Lovino or Feli, directly or not. "No matter how big of a jerk they are…" he recalled.

"… Any big brother will do anything for their little sister," Arthur finished. He slowly drew closer to where Mr. Souma was holding Anya. "Mr. Souma, it doesn't have to be like this. I understand how you feel; I'd run through anyone who so much as put a hand on my brothers, and they were adopted." Holly and Toni raised their eyebrows at each other; they hadn't known that.

He took a deep breath, searching for the right words to say to a man driven insane from grief. "But nothing you do can change the fact that she's gone, mate. The spell is irreversible." His words struck Souma like a blow to the stomach. His knife clattered to the floor as the arm holding Anya fell limply from her mouth to her middle. The change made the girl stumble, but she remained warily still.

"No," Mr. Souma croaked, shaking his head. "You did this… You can undo it!" Souma suddenly threw Anya aside and lunged at Arthur, grappling with his bare hands to slam the boy against the wall. Arthur saw stars as his head cracked against the solid cement and he gasped for breath, only to find his airway crushed by the teacher's arm.

"_Arthur!_" The former pirate's vision swam, little lights fluctuating around Holly's scream. He gurgled and choked for air, scrabbling uselessly at Souma in an effort to free himself.

"Maybe killing you will undo all of the trouble you caused me," the crazed man muttered darkly. He piled on the pressure. It would only take a little more to-

"Souma!" a new voice bellowed. Ryu's head snapped up just in time to receive a walloping fist to the face. He reeled and sprawled out on the floor, instantly knocked out. The newcomer rubbed his knuckles gingerly, wincing through the pain.

"Don't mess with my daughters," Mr. Alvarez growled, nudging Souma's still form with the toe of his shoe. "I lost them once; don't think you're taking them from me now." He assessed Arthur, who was coughing and wheezing. "Are you okay, Arthur?"

"Fine," he gasped. "Never… never better, mate." He took a step forward and nearly fell on his face. "Okay… Not fine," Arthur admitted.

Mr. Alvarez clasped the blond by the shoulders. "Thank you," he said softly. "I heard the last of his ranting, and what you did. Thank you for protecting my daughter." They nodded and turned to the side, where the others were attending to Anya.

In all honesty, it could have been a lot worse, Arthur observed. The older twin was obviously shaken, but there were no serious injuries visible. Anya was still sitting where Souma had tossed her, smiling softly and speaking soothingly to Holly, and at the same time trying to let Kiku check over the shallow lacerations on her face and neck. Toni hovered nearby, looking through drawers for something.

"It's not deep," Kiku said softly, not looking Anya in the eyes. He stared at a spot just to the side of her head, and his voice was toneless. "Carriedo, did you find anything?"

"Just a tie." Toni wrinkled his nose at the ugly, burnt orange necktie that he'd found in Mr. Souma's desk. "Trust me; we'll be doing the world a service." He brought it over, and Kiku deftly sliced into it with the dagger. It felt embarrassingly good to tear into it after all that had happened.

He gently looped the strips around Anya's neck in a makeshift bandage, watching the tense line of her jaw, clenched against the pain. "I'm sorry," Kiku whispered finally.

"It's okay," she winced. "It doesn't hurt that badly." She ran one finger across the cut on her cheek. "This one just needs some water and a Band-Aid, I think."

"No," he shook his head, finally allowing himself to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry for this whole thing. If I hadn't avoided talking about the worse memories, I would have realized who Souma was. I could have warned you; I could have _protected _you." His shaking hands lightly caressed the side of her face, and he was pleasantly surprised when she didn't pull away.

Anya smirked at Kiku, reaching to grasp his other wrist. He looked down, and saw what she was looking at. Her jeweled necklace was wrapped tightly around it, the green peridot facing upward. "I hope Lili can fix this," she admitted softly. "It was given to me by someone who's saved my life at least twice, now."

"What am I, chopped liver?" Arthur grumbled, and did a double take. "Wait. What other times are you talking about?"

"Don't worry about it, Arthur," Kiku whispered, smiling ecstatically at Anya. He got to his feet and gently hauled her up as well. "Don't tell me; _now_ you remember?"

"'I am honored by your friendship'," she quoted tearily, and let out a sigh when Kiku pulled her to his chest for a hug. He looked hurt when she pushed away, but that quickly dissipated when Anya pulled him down by the collar of his shirt and kissed him happily.

"That looks like a bit more than friendship," Mr. Alvarez observed with raised eyebrows. The teens broke away, blushing, even though they hadn't been doing anything wrong. "Oh, no. Don't mind me. Just a teacher and parent in the room." He smiled to soften his remarks and reached out to shake hands with Kiku and Toni. "You all did wonderfully," he said sincerely. "And I can't thank you enough for what you've done for our family."

"Our family," Holly echoed, lacing her arm through Arthur's. "It's been a while since we've heard that, huh sis?"

"I know. I kinda like it," Anya grinned. She became somber when she saw her history teacher out cold on the floor. "But what are we going to do about him? We can't just leave him here, can we?"

"Leave him?" Toni sputtered. "He needs to be locked up! The cops will believe he's insane if he starts talking about spells and pirates; he can live in a mental ward for the rest of his life. I like that plan."

"He thought he was going to bring his sister back," Holly pointed out, glancing at Anya. The older girl nodded, happy that Holly saw her point. "I don't think he's really all bad," she continued, ignoring the incredulous look Arthur was giving her. "Yes, he's a jerk. But he only started hating Arthur after his little sister's dowry got stolen, right? And he wanted to get revenge for her death in this time. I'm not saying that what he did was right," Holly assured quickly. "But that was just his way of trying to look after his sis."

The guys all looked at them warily, and Luciano muttered something about Stockholm syndrome. "What do _you _think we should do?" Kiku finally asked.

"I actually think Toni's plan would work the best," Anya admitted. "But I would feel awful if he got arrested… God, I think I really _am _susceptible to Stockholm." She smirked in her father's general direction, knowing that he wouldn't get the joke.

"Just don't try to dump Capitán Carriedo in a vat of leeches," he said idly. "You could get me in trouble."

"Oh, I was never really going to-" Anya broke off suddenly, looking at her father with hopeful eyes. "Papá?"

"You remember?" Holly exclaimed.

"As if a parent could ever truly be rid of the memory of his daughters being in danger," Luciano smiled. "My girls… Elena would be so proud of how you've grown."

"I hate to break up another tearful reunion," Toni said dryly. "But are those _cops_ coming down the hallway?"

Anya wordlessly peeked around the door frame. Indeed, there were several uniformed men, armed with guns, batons, and tasers, making their way silently along the corridor. She squeaked and ducked back inside. "Who called the police?" she wondered, genuinely curious.

"Javier," Arthur growled, momentarily switching to the crew man's former pseudonym. "We told you not to get others involved."

"They were just backup," he defended insistently. "I knew it wouldn't come to the point where they were actually _needed_…" The teacher was instantly thankful that the other teen- one who had once commanded an entire crew- couldn't remember him at the moment. Even if he _was _just a teenager, he could be intimidating when his authority was undermined in the old days.

"Well, we should get on with it," the Brit grumbled. "What's our story?"

"Keep the crazy, leave out the kidnapping and attempted homicide?" Anya suggested. Kiku laughed quietly and slipped an arm around her waist.

"That works, I suppo-"

"Get your hands where we can see them!" A policeman had made it to the doorway, and he wasn't pleased.

"It's all over, officer," Holly chirped. She pointed to Souma. "Our teacher had a breakdown and started throwing things. Mr. Alvarez helped us when he started flipping out." She nodded to her father, tipping a discreet wink.

Anya was impressed; usually _she _was the one who had to talk fast to get them out of scrapes.

"Hmm," the officer grunted, not impressed. "And what were all of you doing here on a Saturday?"

"Mr. Souma wanted to see me today about something in history," Anya half-lied. _History; over a hundred years ago_. "My sister, her friends, and my boyfriend here came to pick me up, and he went crazy; he was talking about spells and pirates and _time travel_," she explained. She didn't have to fake her shudder. "Honestly, I think he needs a doctor."

"And you are?" The question was directed at Luciano. "What were _you _doing here?"

"I work here," Mr. Alvarez said respectfully, feigning surprise. "Luciano Alvarez, at your service. I'm the Spanish teacher here. I came here to discuss Miss Michaelis's grades, and heard the commotion. I'm the one who called 911."

The remaining half dozen officers visibly relaxed, reassured by having a teacher to answer their questions. "Very well," the first one coughed. "Now, we still have a few questions, but those can wait. We need to take your teacher to the hospital. Is anyone else hurt?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"You'll make sure they all get home safely?" the officer asked Mr. Alvarez.

"Of course, officer."

"Then we'll give you a call once things have calmed down a little to get your statements. Good day, Mr. Alvarez. Kids." He tipped his hat and left, helping his comrades lift Souma off the floor and out to their cars.

Silence reigned in the classroom until Anya spoke up. "Can we go home?" she asked tiredly, leaning into Kiku. "I just want this day to be over."

"Of course, hija," Luciano said warmly. "I'll take you all home right now."

"But papá!" the girls whined in unison, twin blushes spreading across their cheeks. Holly wrapped an arm each around Antonio and Arthur, and Anya clutched at Kiku's shirt. After everything they had been through, no one wanted to go home by themselves.

Mr. Alvarez sighed. "Okay… Just call your parents to tell them, boys. Everyone can sleep over at my place tonight."

"Muchos gracias, papá~"

"Yay!"

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry for the short notice, Mrs. Carriedo," Luciano apologized over the phone. "Yes, I'm supervising the whole time." Toni's mother said something that made him blush, and he quickly said goodbye and finished the call.<p>

"What was that all about?" Holly asked sleepily. She was curled up on the couch, watching TV. Next to her were Kiku and Anya, the latter of whom had fallen asleep on the former's shoulder almost an hour prior. Toni and Arthur were both conked out on the soft carpet and some cushions, leaving Kiku, Holly, and Mr. Alvarez as the only ones awake.

"Your friend's mother is scandalous." He shook his head in wonder. "She warned me that her son was a 'man of passion', and not to leave him alone with you for too long."

Kiku snorted, causing Anya to mumble in her sleep. "You'd better watch out, Holly," he laughed quietly.

"Shut up," she yawned. She sat up, stretching. "I'm gonna go outside for a minute, okay papá?"

He nodded, turning off the lights in the living room on his way to bed. "Just don't be out long; give an old man some peace."

"You're not old. Goodnight." Holly tiptoed around the sleeping boys and slid open the sliding screen door in the kitchen. She had been enchanted when they arrived to find the patio deck out there, and was almost sad that Anya was too sleepy to stargaze with her; the view was incredible. The thought that they might be _living _in this house soon made her squirm with excitement.

When Luciano had first proposed the idea, Anya had been wary. The idea of a family life was no more than a fantasy world to her. But she had easily been won over, and it had been decided that part of their fall break would be used to move in. Mr. Alvarez had smiled and emphasized this, implying that he had something else planned for the rest of the break, but in the meantime he would be working things out with the state department.

"Holly?" The hazel eyed girl jumped, but relaxed when Arthur took her hand. "Are you alright?"

"I'm better than alright," she grinned, leaning against his shoulder. "It's all over. We're safe now, and we can really start _living_."

"About that," Arthur gulped, raking his fingers through his hair nervously. "You see…" He sighed, unable to find the words to continue.

"I love you, Artie," Holly whispered softly. His eyes widened, and then softened at her words.

"I love you too," he said. "So much."

As he leaned down to kiss her softly, neither saw a green-eyed boy slink back through the kitchen door. They didn't hear the silent tears rolling down his face as images and events assaulted him from every angle.

They didn't feel his heart snap clean in two.

* * *

><p><strong>D'aww, Toni! Yes, Maya is a meanie. But it made her cry while writing this, so... She's forgiven. (?) Things should actually start winding down from this point; we had planned for the whole Souma thing the second we came up with the time travel prospect. Don't worry, though. We're gonna squeeze at least two or three more chapter out of this. Until next time, R&amp;R and have a great summer!<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

**Oh, I can't watch! *peeks through fingers* Well, you know the drill. We write, you read, we hope it's not crap. (And then you review. DO IT.)**

**We still don't own Hetalia. Although Maya is close to owning Season 4. Maybe. She hopes? Bleh, enough. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The next few weeks were mind-numbingly normal. It was difficult to acclimate to the steady life of school and friends when the five teens had gone through and gained so much.<p>

Anya's wounds had been even less serious than anyone had hoped, and a simple scarf covered the marks on her neck. No one asked questions about the beige Band-Aid on her cheek. She was still shaken up by her encounter, but knew that she was safe while Mr. Souma was on 'personal leave'. It helped that Kiku was just as anxious, and hardly left her side. If being with him made Anya feel safe before, it was nothing compared to now, when she knew that he had all the skill of a trained soldier.

To ease both of their nerves, she had taken to helping him practice his drill runs. (She would just use a fallen branch; her recovered memories had done nothing for her coordination.) There was something comforting in the idea of being able to handle at least a simple weapon. After all, there were worse people out there than Ryu Souma.

In her spare time, Holly was rarely found far from Arthur. And since remembering her entire former math education, she had a _lot_ of free time. There were perks from suddenly realizing that you'd already learned the current school lessons. Mr. Smith (who the twins and former pirates now recognized with a smile) was amazed at the girls' progress.

So while the other freshman struggled through hyperbolas and Descartes Rule of Signs, Anya and Holly were free to spend more time with their boyfriends and their father. Luciano was almost ready to officially take his girls back. They had gradually packed their things up until they were practically living out of cardboard boxes, anxious to finish the operation once and for all.

On the last day of school before fall break, Kiku, Toni, and Arthur were nearly as excited as the twins. They were going to help move their things to Mr. Alvarez's place, after which the secretive Spanish teacher had promised to reveal his surprise, which he said included all of them. As soon as the final bell rang, they all raced from their respective classrooms to Arthur's Jeep and made it to the twins' apartment in record time.

"What's going to happen to this place once you're moved out?" Toni asked quietly.

Holly looked around the now nearly empty apartment. "As it turns out, social services were going to keep paying the rent until we turned fourteen. Then they would have expected us to start paying."

"But?" he pressed, sensing another thought hanging in the air.

"Papá started paying it for us," she smiled tenderly. "He asked them not to tell us, and we never knew. Anya found the bills in a stack of papers the other day, and that's the only reason we know now." Holly sighed and picked up her last box. "It's nice to know that he was always watching out for us, just like when we were on the _Hetalia_."

Toni winced, as he did every time someone brought up his beloved ship. After regaining his memories, he had become increasingly worried about her.

Holly grimaced apologetically. She knew how tender that subject was, but the _Hetalia_ had been a home to her for over two weeks, and she couldn't just forget her. She knew it was the question on everyone's mind; What had gone down after the spell? But they could wait to learn about that. There was nothing they could do to change it, and frankly, they were all a little scared to find out what happened after they left.

"That was fast," Luciano said suspiciously. "You didn't cut class and leave early, did you?" He unlocked his front door to let the kids in.

"Of course we didn't," Anya laughed. "As if I would let Holly do that!"

"I resent that," said girl huffed. She looked to Arthur for support. "Would I cut class?" she demanded.

"No," he answered automatically. "You might fake an illness in order to leave early, but other than that..."

Holly pouted and punched his arm. "You're no help," she grumbled. "But seriously, papá; we've been ready for over a week. It doesn't take long to just haul a bunch of boxes to the Jeep."

They all helped bring the girls' things into the house, where they were instructed to just leave them in the kitchen. Anya and Holly could move them into their new room later.

"So what is the big surprise you've been talking about, Mr. Alvarez?" Kiku asked.

"I was waiting for someone to ask," the teacher grinned. "Do you remember how I told you that my parents live in California?"

"That's right," Toni recalled wistfully. "I've always wanted to go to California." Surfing, swimming and sand...

"Then pack your bags, Capitán!" Alvarez ordered. "Your parents have all okayed it; we're all going to visit my folks in Los Angeles for fall break!"

There was silence for a moment while each teen processed what they had just heard. Then everyone started talking at once.

"When was this decided?" Arthur exclaimed, though he was inwardly thrilled.

"Thank you, papá!" both girls rejoiced, running off to start packing. Kiku decided that he would need to prepare, as well, and respectfully took his leave. This left Luciano, Arthur, and Toni standing numbly in the living room.

"Are you okay, boys?" the teacher asked softly. One look at his face gave both of them the feeling that he'd wanted to talk to them for a while. "You know that if there's anything bothering you, you can talk to me, right?"

"Y-Yeah," Toni coughed. Arthur nodded his head in agreement.

Luciano crossed his arms across his chest expectantly. "Well? There's no time like the present."

"We're sort of fighting," Arthur blurted out, and Toni wanted to snack him. Luciano nodded sagely, looking for all the world like a guidance counselor. The biggest, toughest, most muscular counselor alive.

"Is it about Holly?" he guessed. "I seem to remember that you were both a bit keen on her."

"Yeah," Toni grumbled. Dang, this was so awkward! Here they were talking to Holly's FATHER about wanting to date her. In the old days, this wouldn't have been a problem, he supposed. A man would have to meet both of his sweetheart's parents before so much as holding hands. If one wasn't a pirate, that is. But in modern day, his very being was telling him to RUN.

"Sit down, boys," Luciano sighed, gesturing to the couch. He sat in a chair across from them and waited.

"Anya already read us the Riot Act," Toni smiled weakly.

"I have the lump to prove it," Arthur added, gingerly running his fingers over the knot on his sandy blond head. "Mr. Alvarez-"

"I want you to call me Luciano," he interrupted. "You've called me many names, and you used to be my boss." Their teacher smiled softly. "Not to mention the fact that I owe both of you my life, one way or another."

The former captains exchanged glances. _What was he talking about?_

"I knew you wouldn't think of it like that," Luciano grinned broadly. "Think; when I was captured by those privateers, who gave me a new home and a trade? And then when things took an... unfortunate turn on the naval ship, whose magic changed the course of events enough to prevent my death?"

Antonio and Arthur protested, red-faced, but he waved them off.

"And my girls," he said softly. "You brought us back together, _twice_. My family is in your debt, Captains Carriedo and Kirkland."

"S-So you wouldn't object? If Holly were to want to- to go out with one of us?" Toni gave a pointed glare in his friend's direction.

"If that is her decision," Luciano shrugged, standing. "Listen, boys; I want her to be happy. I haven't been there for her, or for Anya. Anya found someone who will make her happy and stay by her side. It's all I could hope for her, and I wish the same for Holly. And remember; I know all of your weaknesses." He smiled happily, fondly remembering combat training on the _Hetalia_. "And I will personally have you expelled if you break her heart. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," they answered together, each harboring their own troubled thoughts.

"Good!" Mr. Alvarez clapped his hands and shooed them toward the door. "Now get packing! We're leaving first thing tomorrow!"

"What!"

* * *

><p>"Alright...Does everyone have their things packed in?" Mister Alvarez looked at the five teens in front of him.<p>

"Hai."

"Si."

"Yup!"

"...Yeah."

"Yes, sir."

The teacher closed the trunk and locked it, leading them all to the doors of the Hummer. Anya and Kiku sat in the middle seat, while the other 3 sat in the back, Holly sitting between the two juniors. "Let fall break begin!"

The trip to California was a long one, and they had to drive through the night. Holly fell asleep on Arthur's shoulder, and Toni sank into a sour mood. He simply stared out the window, glaring at the stars that Anya loved so much. His phone screen lit up, and showed a text from his best friend, sitting only a foot away.

**Are you okay? You look upset. **

Toni sighed and looked over at him. The blond raised his eyebrows questioningly. His response was slow. **Of course I'm upset. But she's happy with you, and I can't change her decision. You had just better treat her like a **_**queen,**_** Kirkland.** He flipped his phone shut and turned back to the window, fully aware of Arthur's hurt gaze burning into his back.

_Welcome to California. Population: 37,691,912 _

A sign greeted the awaking faces of the kids as they finally drove across the border into the large state. "Welcome to Cali!" Luciano yawned.

"We're here...?" Holly murmured as she lifted her head from Arthur's shoulder, greeted with a kiss on top of her head.

"Yeah, we just got here, love." Arthur smiled sleepily, stretching out his stiff arm.

She chuckled before looking over at Toni. "G'mornin', Tonio!" The curly haired teen smiled and leaned over, giving him a tight hug.

He forced a smile and hugged her back. "Good morning to you, too."

"Is anyone hungry?" Luciano questioned.

"I am!" All five voices chipped in, ranging from sleepy to grumpy to hyperactive. (Three guesses for who was what.)

"Well, just wait a minute," he laughed. "My folks live just around the corner from here."

"W-We're staying with your parents?" Anya paled drastically. "Papá, I don't know..."

"They want to meet you do badly, _hija_," he said warmly. "Your _abuelos _haven't seen you since you were born. I've told them about you of course, so don't be surprised if they act as if they know you. Alright?"

"Okay," the twins whispered. Holly caught Anya's eyes in the rear view mirror. They were wide with terror.

* * *

><p>"Mom? Dad? You guys here?" Mr. Alvarez opened the door to his parents' house, announcing their arrival.<p>

"We're in the kitchen, dear. You can bring the kids in with you!" A woman's voice drifted through the air and welcomed them in. Anya looped her arm through Kiku's, and Holly locked hands with Arthur. To say that the twins were excited was an understatement; they were nervous, but ecstatic at the same time to finally meet more of their family.

They all drifted to the kitchen, where delicious clouds of steam hung over their heads. An older man and woman were busy making the biggest breakfast the girls had ever seen. They both had pure silver hair, but moved with the vitality of a couple half their age.

"Oh, you're finally here!" The woman spoke up first. She wiped her hands on a towel before hurrying over and hugging the twins tightly. Anya realized that she actually wasn't that old. Besides her hair, she didn't look to be a day over sixty. Her husband looked about the same.

"Mom, stop suffocating them! Let me introduce everyone first!" Their father laughed as he pulled her away for a moment. "This is Anya," He motioned towards the purple eyed twin. "This is Holly," He pointed at the red-hazel eyed sister. "And these are Kiku, Arthur, and Antonio," He named them in respective order. "Girls, these are your _abuelos_; Gracia and Andreas Alvarez."

"It's so nice to meet you kids," the senior Alvarez said. He shook hands with the boys and hugged his son and granddaughters.

"Oh, we've been waiting all school year for this," Gracia sniffed. Her hazel eyes sparkled with threatening tears. "Your father phoned us in August when you showed up in his class, and we were so excited." She opened her arms again. "Come here, _chiquitas_. Let me see you."

Anya and Holly allowed themselves to cry a little and be fawned over for a few minutes before the growling of their stomachs could no longer be ignored.

"Oh, I'm sure you're all hungry from traveling through the night," Andreas exclaimed. "What do you want to eat?"

The boys shuffled their feet awkwardly. "Do you have any cereal?" Kiku finally asked.

The three adults clucked at him. "Kiku," Gracia grinned. "You've never stayed in a Hispanic home before, have you?"

After the best breakfast of bacon, eggs, French toast, hash browns, fruit, and omelets that any of them had ever eaten, Luciano excused himself to rest after the long drive. The grandparents gave the teens free reign of the house while they went shopping. They wouldn't let on to what they were actually shopping for, however.

"They don't need groceries," Anya was saying. "I saw the fridge and pantry; they're stuffed full. It looks like they've been planning this for weeks. What could they be doing?"

"Who cares?" Holly chirped. She leaned back in the lawn chair on the back porch, drinking in the California sun. The porch was more of a patio, with deck board flooring and several reclining chairs. "Sis, we're in the best vacation spot since Disney World. Stop over thinking and just enjoy it!"

"I'll drink to that." Arthur knocked back his iced tea. "Hmmm, interesting. Tea this chilled, and it's actually quite good. But to think; in the east they have _sweet_ iced tea..."

"That's right," Kiku recalled. "You grew up in London, didn't you? Where were your brothers adopted?"

Anya looked up as well. She had been wondering about that, too. "Yeah, what's the deal with that? I never even knew that Mattie and Alfred weren't related to you by blood."

"It's a long story," Arthur groaned. "But in a nutshell, after we moved to the states, we took a quick trip up to Niagara Falls. We passed by an orphanage, and before I knew it I had two little brothers. No idea who their biological parents are."

"Weird," Toni said simply. Anya twitched. She had almost forgotten the quiet Spaniard. He had been moping around all morning, and it was getting on her nerves.

"Anyway," she said loudly. "We have a whole week to do whatever we want. Any ideas on what to do?"

"Well, we've never been to a..."

* * *

><p>"Beach!" the twins yelled in unison as they ran for the sparkling water. The boys followed, but stopped short of the receding wave line.<p>

"C'mon Artie! I wanna try to surf!" Holly grabbed the blonde's hand and her father's old board and started swimming through the salty water towards deeper water and bigger waves.

"Where are they going?" Anya muttered, staying in the water that was only knee deep.

"She yelled something about surfing," Kiku mused, watching the couple as well.

"Pfft- I'd love to see how that will end." Anya laughed and tossed a rainbow colored beach ball towards Kiku, who hit it back lightly in return, starting a game of volleyball. That is to say, they hit it until it got boring, and then just splashed around near the shore.

Toni sat up on the dry white sand, letting it fall between his fingers and back into a pile. He wanted to stay away from all the commotion. All of the memories that had finally come back to him we're eating at him. Every moment he had spent with Holly replayed in his mind, and there was something wrong with how he was seeing things. It was like his former self had viewed the entirety of the events in a whole different light.

He sighed quietly to himself as he watched a strange scene on the water; Holly trying miserably to stand up on the board while Arthur, still in the ocean, held on to it for dear life. Holly eventually flailed her arms and crashed into the water. Arthur was pushed under, but when he popped up, the first thing he did was help Holly back onto the board. Seeing the care in the gesture, as well as their companionship, didn't depress Toni as it once would have. He laughed slightly to himself, almost against his will.

* * *

><p>"Artie, what do you think's wrong with him?" Holly stared off back at the glittering sands, seeing the Spaniard sitting by himself.<p>

Arthur glanced back at where she was looking and sighed quietly. "I think he's just upset about this whole...thing." Holly eventually gave up on trying to stand, favoring sitting on the board instead, and pulled the Brit up to sit with her. She held his hand gently, but jumped when he ran his thumb over her knuckles. In the same way that Antonio had.

* * *

><p>Anya inhaled the salty breeze. This was nothing like the rocky cliffs of her old fishing village. There, the waters had usually been dull gray, and there was almost no sand to speak of. It wasn't her ocean, but it had still been centuries since she had felt the waves swirling around her knees. It was as close to home as she was probably going to get.<p>

She turned to Kiku to tell him something, but found only the receding water by her side. Anya turned around fully and found that he was still standing at the edge of the water. She frowned and shouted to him. "Why aren't you swimming?"

"I'm not the biggest fan of swimming," he called back with a grimace. "You go on."

"Please, Kiku? I'll be lonely!"

He sighed. "Anya, don't pull that-"

"For me?"

"...No."

The older twin pouted and started wading back to shore. The thought of joining the depressed Spanish boy sounded better and better by the second. Sighing, Anya sat in the shallows, where the water came up almost to her neck. There was no use swimming without someone to swim with, and papá was still napping under an umbrella. He was constantly saying how old he was, but it had become fact after he regained his memories of his pirate days. Luciano was now nearly as energetic as "Javier" at some points, but also became tired much more quickly. Not that Anya could blame him; he had worked so hard to take them back from social services in the past weeks.

"Anya Alvarez," she whispered to herself. The name was strange, and had a little too much alliteration for her liking, but she liked the way it rolled from her tongue. It was good to finally know their real surname.

"Boo." A shadow fell across her back and shoulders.

"Hey," she yawned. "I was wondering where you went." Leaning her head back, Anya found herself staring upside down into Kiku's amber eyes. "If you aren't going to swim with me, don't try to scare me; it doesn't work anymore."

"Oh, I won't," he instantly replied, giving her a look. A hint of a smirk played behind his eyes.

"Kiku, why are you looking at me like-?"

"Don't move."

The violet eyed girl froze instantly. "I-Is there something on me?" She had once gotten a jellyfish tangled in her hair in a large tide pool. It hadn't ended well.

"No. It's just easier like this." He grinned and walked around her, leaning down to pick her up and carry her deeper into the water.

She immediately started squirming, blushing and stuttering. "K-Kiku! Stop it! I'm sorry, okay? You don't have to swim!"

Kiku only held her tighter and walked farther into the ocean. "I know." He laughed and dropped her into the water, the backsplash blinding him. When Anya came back up and wiped the saltwater out of her eyes, she panicked. The water was too deep for her to stand, and she automatically flailed. Kiku saw her distress and caught her waist to keep her head up. Anya coughed and grabbed at his shoulders until her heart rate slowed, only to speed up again when she realized how close they were.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. Anya nodded, not trusting her voice not to make a fool out of her. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how deep it was."

"Not your fault," she whispered. "I'm short. Not the best swimmer, anyways."

Kiku blinked. "Then why did you want to come out here and swim?"

"I still like the ocean, baka!" Anya blushed. "And I knew you would be out here with me, so..." She finally let go of him and treaded back a few feet to where her toes could reach the sandy floor.

"So what, Anya-chan?" Kiku followed her and grabbed her hand again.

"Oh, nothing." She turned and stood on her toes. She kissed him and pulled back, wriggling out of his grip before he could blink. Tugging down hard on his arm, Anya sent him crashing into the water. "Ha! Payback!"

* * *

><p>"Hey, Toni!" Said Spaniard's head snapped up at the voice, greeted with the sight of a curly haired brunette standing in front of him, soaking wet. "Why are you sitting all the way over here? C'mon and join us already!" She held her hand out, and for the first time in a week and a half, Toni smiled and took it. He stood and let Holly drag him towards the water, where Anya and Kiku had engaged in an all-out splash war. Toni laughed, feeling the rain clouds that had fogged his brain temporarily part.<p>

* * *

><p>The bright sun finally set on the horizon, illuminating the water with hues of gold, red, and blue while the sky shone shades of pinks, purples, and oranges as well.<p>

Holly's messy, sand-dusted hair was pulled up in a bun, keeping it off her and Arthur's shoulders as he carried her to the car, her sleeping form relaxed in his arms. Toni followed close behind, hands shoved in his pockets and face turned skyward.

"She's exhausted." Arthur remarked, his voice a low murmur so as to not wake her up. He opened the door to the Hummer and laid her in the first seat temporarily, closing the door enough to keep their voices from drifting in. "In fact, she's getting sick."

Toni looked at him, a confused look on his face. "What do you mean, she's getting sick? She seemed fine enough with burying me in the sand and running away from those stupid crabs." He rubbed his sore arms, which were littered with souvenir pinch marks.

Arthur snorted. "She's worrying so much about you, Toni. It's making her sick. She hates people being sad around her, and it's killing her to see you like this. I talked to her about it earlier, and she almost started crying." Arthur blushed slightly and looked up at his best friend. "Toni, you know I never wanted it to come to this. What am I going to have to do to make this up to you?" He gave him a sincere look, wanting to make him feel better.

Toni shook his head. "No sé," he said honestly. "I just don't know."

* * *

><p>Antonio lay on a completely reclined lawn chair, watching the sky. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. Was he searching for something up there? He didn't even know. It had to have been at least two by now- he had stayed up because of his nerves. They were still frayed from his talk with Arthur.<p>

"Toni? Why are you still up? And out here for that matter?" A small, soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He flipped over to be greeted by Holly in her pajamas; a tank top and sweat pants. He laughed inwardly at the irony.

"I was just...thinking." He smiled as brightly as he could at her.

She frowned in response, walking over to sit on the edge of his chair. "Are you lying?"

Toni sighed. "Si."

"Toni, I hate it. You being this sad just isn't right. You've been quiet for weeks. What's wrong?" Holly stared him down.

"I was upset because you love Arthur," he confessed suddenly. Holly started to say something, but decided that Toni needed his say. "I saw you on the porch that night," he continued. "Even after everything we went through... It was seeing you two together that made me remember." He sighed, turning away from her.

"Toni, I didn't do it to hurt you." The twin finally spoke up. "I love you, Toni, but I love you the way I love Anya and papá. It's just that I love Artie more in a romantic way. You're like the big brother I didn't get." She smiled at him softly. "You're still one of my favorite people, and I always want you with me. Even if it's selfish, you're my best friend, Tonio."

Antonio stayed quiet before looking up at her and sitting up. Holly wiped away the one tear that had spilled over onto his cheek. "As long as it means I don't have to leave you." He leaned forward and hugged her tightly.

They slowly became aware of soft musical chords coming from the kitchen. Holly blinked back the tears and a precious memory came to her again; this was the same song that Francis had played when they had gone to visit him; _Intermezzo._

"What-?" Antonio began, but Holly shook her head lightly and silenced him.

"Tonio, do you remember what you said before? That you would always want me around?"

"Of course," he promised, knowing exactly what she wanted him to say. "This doesn't change how I feel about you, cariño. You can't get rid of me that easily." He pulled her into another tender hug.

* * *

><p>Arthur cringed, but turned up the stereo a little louder. He knew that this was the kind of closure that his friend needed.<p>

"Wow. How cheesy can you get?" Arthur jumped and whirled around to find a sleepy Anya and Kiku walking into the kitchen. "Seriously," Anya rolled her eyes. "Are you trying to create a _mood_ or something?"

"He needs this," Arthur whispered seriously. "You know as well as I do that he's heartbroken. This is the least I can do."

"Poof."

"What?"

"If you really wanted to make him feel better, you should have set them up for prom," Anya laughed quietly.

Kiku had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing out loud. "I would pay big money to see that if I went," he promised.

"I already asked her to the prom," Arthur smirked, sending Kiku a sly glance. "With that said, I'll say goodnight." He tipped them a wink and snuck off to the guest room.

"... Crazy Brit," Anya yawned. "What was that all about?"

Kiku chuckled nervously and tugged at the collar of his t-shirt. "Well, umm... You brought up prom."

Her eyes widened. "O-Oh."

* * *

><p>Lights. Balloons. Streamers. A group of teens walked into the dance hall, greeted by all of these sights. It had finally come; prom night. Anya had been reluctant to go, even by Kiku's invitation, but Holly had finally guilted her into it. Kiku hadn't been joking; prom was a much bigger and more formal affair than the fall dance.<p>

And so, even though she was beginning to regret it more every second, Anya had gone out and found a new dress. It was _green._ She didn't even know if she _liked _green, but it went so well with her necklace that she had snatched it off the discount rack. But if she had known that Holly had gotten a red dress, it would have been her last choice, because now she felt like Christmas. Then Kiku wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she forget about the dress for a while.

"It's so pretty!" Holly smiled at the pinks, blacks, and silvers filling the room. Arthur smiled and squeezed her hand lightly, earning another in return.

Toni walked alongside of them, smiling at the two. That night on the deck had been the last bit of trouble any of them had encountered. He treated Holly no differently, although his romantic advances had ceased out of respect for her decision.

There was a sudden jostling around them, and suddenly Alfred was using the twins as a shield. "Dudes, you gotta hide me!"

"From who?"

"Shut _up_!" he hissed. "Natalia'll hear you and then I'll be a pile of smoldering hero!"

"Natalia _Braginski_?" Every teen's jaw dropped. "Alfred, why does she want to kill you?" Arthur demanded.

"..." The self-proclaimed hero grumbled.

"What?" Anya pulled him off of her back and turned to face him.

"I asked her to dance, alright?"

Time froze. Space melted. Somewhere in a far off cluster of stars, a nebula was born. And Alfred F. Jones had just asked a creep's little sister to dance.

"Why on earth would you do that?" Toni scoffed. "That girl is psychotic."

"Mattie dared me," Alfred growled. He poked his head over Holly's shoulder to scout out the area. "I think I lost her. Thanks, babe."

"Alfred," Anya and Arthur glared.

"Right, right," he laughed, backing off. "I guess I'll just go strangle Matt!" He walked away with his hands in his pockets, a surprisingly dashing figure in his rented tux. Holly shrugged away from Arthur and caught the retreating blond's shoulder.

"Hey," she whispered. "Will you be okay?"

Al snorted, ready to boast of his superiority, but saw that she was genuinely concerned. Then he felt bad. And heroes weren't supposed to feel bad.

"Hey, wanna dance?" He was back to his old, hyperactive, heroic self, flailing his arms with shining eyes.

"…What?" Was the only thing that Holly managed to get out before being swept out onto the dance floor.

"You bloody git! Bring her back!" Arthur chased after them, earning a smile from everyone. Especially Holly, who was laughing her heart out.

"It really is pretty in here tonight," Anya commented, holding her boyfriend's hand as they sat at a table, lit up with candles and decorated with white roses. "I can't believe this is actually our auditorium. It's amazing what happens when you take out all of the chairs."

The boy next to her nodded in agreement, simply watching her quietly. "You look very pretty tonight, Anya." He smiled and kissed her cheek gently, receiving a blush in return.

"Th-Thanks," she muttered quietly. "You look very handsome."

Kiku smiled at her comment. "Thank you."

"A-And these roses," she continued, trying to change the subject. "They're from the courtyard, aren't they? Did you cut them?"

"I didn't cut them; I was in charge of removing the thorns." Kiku showed Anya his fingers, which were peppered with small scratches.

"Aw," she clucked. "Poor thing. Think you'll live?"

_This time, I wonder what it feels like to find the one in this life. The one we all dream of when dreams just aren't enough…_ A sudden change in tempo filled the speakers of the gym, causing Anya to jump a little. She looked up when Kiku stood suddenly, extending his hand to her.

"I think so," he smiled. "If you'll dance with me." He took her hand in his own and led them out slowly to the dance floor, joining the other couples.

_So I'll be holdin' my breath. Could this be the end? Is it that moment when I'll find the one that I'll spend forever with? _Kiku's arms came around her waist, and Anya shyly laced her fingers around his neck. They slowly started swaying to the music, watching each other closely. "I love you, Anya." Kiku smiled at her and twirled them around slowly, never taking his eyes off of her.

"I love you, too," she smiled back.

_There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere. There's gotta be somebody for me out there…_ The song ended on a soft note, and a few couples departed the dance floor, including Anya and Kiku.

And, as expected of a high school dance, the next song was an obnoxious pop tune about breakups and clubs. The room was instantly full of raving teens. They weren't even dancing, Anya thought. They just jumped up and down in a circle- it looked pretty idiotic. Kiku seemed to think so, too.

"Do you want to go outside?" he suggested. "It's pretty crowded in here."

"I guess so. It'd be nice to cool down somewhere quiet." They walked out the set of double doors, and made their way out to the garden; the place where they had first met. They sat down on the cool stone bench and just sat in silence for a few moments, watching the cherry blossoms fall. Summer was coming to an end.

"So…You're sure you remember everything right?" Kiku looked at her and grasped her hand tightly.

She nodded, both eager and concerned. Why was he bringing that up? "Of course I remember."

"That's good. I'm glad you finally did." He pulled her close to his side. "For just a second, I was afraid that you wouldn't regain those memories."

"Would it have mattered if I hadn't?" Anya asked teasingly, but became serious at the look in her boyfriend's eyes. "I-It wouldn't matter, would it?"

"No!" he exclaimed, eyes widening. "Of course not! It was amazing to be with you even before I knew everything we'd been through. Remembering how much you meant to me before... It only made me care more deeply for you now."

Anya blushed at his words, but couldn't deny that she felt the same way. "Yeah, back at'cha." She sighed, suddenly feeling tired. "You know, this is almost perfect. We're together, papá took us back in, Souma's on permanent vacation at the Funny Farm, and the Spanish bastardo stopped flirting with Holly."

"That sounds like perfection to me," Kiku pointed out. "What's wrong?"

Anya sighed again, and pulled back to look him in the eyes. "Kiku, I need to know what happened after we left."

* * *

><p>"Holly, can I talk to you for a moment?" Toni looked over at the younger girl next to him with a devious sparkle in his eyes.<p>

"Of course!" She laughed, allowing herself to be led by the hand away from Arthur and the main group of students. "Now what's going on? You're looking at me funn-" She squealed as something hard hit the back of her knees, knocking her legs out from under her. She fell back into Toni's chest, and her arms instinctively clamped around his shoulders as he straightened, holding her bridal style. Holly's long skirt was bunched up under her knees, falling like a crimson waterfall toward the floor.

"Eep! What are you doing?" She blushed as the Spaniard adjusted her in his arms and started to carry her off in the direction of the double doors.

"Oh, nothing~" He smiled at her confusion, and threw a cocky smirk at Arthur across the room. Antonio laughed and boldly pulled Holly closer. With a low grunt, he hefted the squirming girl over his shoulder and burst out of the hall. "Catch me if you can, Kirkland!"

Over the booming music, no one even noticed.

* * *

><p>"Ugh…It's so loud in here. Don't you agree, Holly? Holly?" Arthur turned around, only to be greeted with empty air where the aforementioned girl had been standing only moments before. "Wait. What? How strange..." He shook his head and started to anxiously search for his girlfriend.<p>

* * *

><p>"Antonio!" Holly laughed and gasped for breath, clinging to the back of his shirt for dear life. "P-Put me down!"<p>

"Not likely! What kind of pirate would I be if I let my hostage give me orders?" He dug his fingers into Holly's side, mercilessly tickling her.

"Wh-?" Her protests melted into peals of helpless laughter as Toni ran across the grass. "T-Toni! Stoooo-ah!-ooop! I-can't-breathe! Please put me down! Pretty please?"

"Well, when you ask like that..." he teased, finally setting her gently on her feet. Holly laughed and skipped out of his reach, getting her bearings. They hadn't gone far, she saw; just around the building to the other side of the auditorium.

"What was that all about?" Holly giggled nervously, trying to ride out her adrenaline rush.

He smiled down at her, the moonlight illuminating both of them. "I was just wondering about something." He closed the distance between them and took her hand in his. "Care to dance while I tell you?" Music started drifting from the inside, only slightly muffled by the doors that they had just stopped by.

_For all the times you stood by me. For all the truths that you made me see_...Holly blinked at the lyrics and stared at the brunette in front of her.

"Would you like to dance, Holly?" Antonio repeated softly.

The younger girl shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled up at him happily. "Of course, Tonio."

* * *

><p>"Bugger…Where'd she go? Odd. Toni's gone too..." Arthur smacked his forehead in realization. "I can't believe it; he took her! That wanker!" The blond started looking around frantically.<p>

* * *

><p><em>I'm everything I am because you loved me.<em> Holly had her arms wrapped around Toni's shoulders and they simply swayed slowly. She sighed and rested her head comfortably on her friend's shoulder Toni rested his chin in Holly's hair, eyes closed and smiling.

"You know I'll never stop loving you, right?" he whispered.

"I know, silly," she sighed sadly. Was that what this was about? She had been so sure that they'd patched things up in California...But Antonio surprised her by continuing-

"But as long as I can still be your close friend, that matters more to me. I want to be there for you, but I respect your decision."

Holly pulled her head back to search his eyes; they never lied to her. She was relieved and overjoyed to find that he meant what he said. "Thank you, Toni." Holly murmured quietly. "I'm happy to hear that." He smiled and kissed the top of her head, still swaying with her to the beat of the music. He pulled her into a warm hug when the song ended, breaking away only when the auditorium doors swung open with a bang.

"Just what do you think you're doing, you tosser?" Arthur glared playfully, leaning against the doorway. "I thought we were done with the pirating business, mate."

"I was just kidnapping the damsel in distress, Captain Kirkland. Did you come to rescue her?" Toni laughed. He wrapped an arm possessively around Holly's waist, pretending to get ready to carry her off again. Both brunettes were delighted and relieved when Arthur burst out laughing.

"I suppose so," he chuckled. "And I'll fight to the death for her. Want to surrender and save a few lives?"

"If I must." Toni withdrew his arm, giving Holly's hand a final squeeze, before gently coaxing her forward to Arthur. Her eyes became abruptly misty as she grasped the weight of what this signified.

"I love you guys." Holly laughed and hugged Toni tightly before grabbing his arm and pulling him over to Arthur. "C'mon, you two. Let's go back inside. You know, before Anya finds out we're missing and sends Kiku after you."

Both boys shuddered inwardly, more than happy that the former soldier was now their ally. And that there were now laws against first degree murder.

* * *

><p>"Ah, young love~" Mr. Bonnefoy sighed dreamily. "Aren't they adorable, Luci?" He took another small sip from his wine glass.<p>

"Yes," Luciano frowned. "But Francis, you shouldn't be drinking. And I told you not to call me that!"

"I can hold my alcohol perfectly well, mon ami," the Frenchman winked, once again fixing his eyes on the young couples. "Call me crazy, Luci, but I could swear that I've seen this somewhere before." He gestured to the corner of the auditorium, where Anya was yelling at Antonio for some undetermined reason. Holly and Kiku were shaking with laughter while Arthur failed miserably to help his friend out.

"…I wouldn't say it's _that _crazy," Luciano laughed nervously. "No crazier than, say, finding out that one of your students is your long-lost child."

"Of course not," Francis huffed. "But that's not the point, and when would that even-?" He arched one thin blond eyebrow. "You're serious?"

"Anya and Holly are mine, Francis," Luciano grinned. "It's a long story, but I'm just glad to have them back."

"You're so lucky, Luci!" he hiccupped. The wine was starting to affect him, no matter what he claimed his tolerance to be. "Why, I had a fine pair of boys, m'self. And their mother; most beautiful woman in the world!"

"Really?"

"Of course," he slurred, a goofy and romantic smile plastered onto his face. "Lovely Jean. We met in Paris when I was very young. But then…" His smile vanished, replaced with bitterness. "Oh, she hated me. She hasn't wanted kids yet, y'know."

"What happened?" Luciano prompted gently, not noticing that Anya was approaching them quickly. "To Jean and your sons?"

"She couldn't support them," Francis droned. "And neither could her family in Montreal. So when she left Paris, she put them up for adoption. She never even named them, so I couldn't find out who they were once I'd settled down here."

"Francis, think carefully," Luciano stressed. "I want you to tell me when they were born, and where the orphanage was."

"The first and fourth of July, sixteen years ago" he answered immediately. "And it was a small place… maybe a mile or so from Niagara-"

"Oh, Anya!" Mr. Alvarez said loudly. "Do you need something, cariño?"

"No, papá," she smiled sweetly. "I just came to tell you that the guys will be driving us home tonight. I told Holly to tell you, but I realized that she would probably forget."

"Thank you, hija," he said softly. "Now go have fun with your friends."

"Yes, papá." Without a backwards glance, she skipped back to where Holly and the others were waiting.

"She's a good kid," Francis remarked. "They both are. Yep, you're lucky, Luci. Ohonhon, Lucky Luci!"

"… I think you've had enough wine, amigo."

* * *

><p>"What did you want to tell papá, sis?" Holly questioned.<p>

"Well, I was going to propose a little field trip idea," she admitted. "I know Mr. Karpusi would be up for it; he sleeps in class more than the other kids!" Even so, she was fond of their new history teacher. He had loaned her so many new books on Greek mythology! "But then I heard something interesting…" She looked around and spotted Arthur. The Brit was trying to break up a fight between his little brothers. His adopted, blond, _sixteen year old brothers. _

Anya grinned sadistically. "Oh, Arthur~"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for all the random line breaks^^' And for the sudden last-second France thing. But don't worry, IcarusWing. Maya had sorta-kinda thought about how to do this~ But it had just been a possibility, so your review was most helpful in convincing Christina to actually put it in. We probably have one more chapter, and then we'll be finished with-<strong>

**Christina: NOOOO! We can't be done! *sobbing in emo corner***

**Maya: *awkwardly pats Christina* Thank you all for staying with us, we hope to see you again the future, either as tworandomotakus or in our original accounts. *sigh* Sis, are you going to stop crying?**

**Christina: *shakes head stubbornly***

**Maya: *sigh* Hey, guess what? *whispers* ASE...**

**Christina: ANIME SOUTHEAST! ISOEXCITED!**

**Maya: Read and review, por favor!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey everyone! This is Maya. We had an AWESOME time meeting new cosplayers at Anime Southeast. It was a blast. Here's the last chapter. It's short, but it'll tie everything together for ya!**

**Aaaand this is Christina. I can't believe it's over. Our babyyyyy! ;-; Uhh..this is about to get sappy in about .2 seconds. xD**  
><strong>Thank you to everyone who followed our story, our account, reviewed, everything. You guys are awesome. We honestly didn't expect to get this much attention with a story with our OC's, but you proved us wrong. You guys are just...freaking amazing, I'm not going to lie. WE (as in me and Maya both) love you guys tons. We hope you guys will stay with us when we have a new story come out (whenever that ends up being, hopefully soon!).<strong>

**Speaking of that...we need inspiration guys! If you have any story ideas or anything like that, click that little review button somewhere around this story, or PM us!**

**Thanks again everyone, we love you guys. Enjoy the last chapter of When I Find You! *hearts***

* * *

><p>"Well, this is..."<p>

"Different." Anya finished her sister's sentence for her. She shook her head. "I can't believe this is really where we grew up."

"Hmm... What was that?" a sleepy voice asked from behind them. The girls whirled around to see Mr. Karpusi rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Um, nothing," Holly laughed. "We were just looking at the ocean. It's so pretty, right?"

"... That's cool. But you should catch up with the others now." Their new history teacher gestured down the coast a flat expanse of rock, where the rest of the students were waiting.

"Yes, sir," they chimed. And proceeded to prance from rock to rock as if they'd been hopping tide pools for years. The small fishing village had really changed a lot; there were modern houses, two schools, a few dirt roads, and even a motel. The only thing that was really the same was the coast; it was still as rocky and open as ever. It was still too small to be really called 'modern', however. It had taken Luciano over a week of internet surfing just to find it. The island village had even changed names a few times, and even Anya couldn't pronounce its current title.

When the girls had proposed the idea of the field trip, Mr. Karpusi hadn't really liked the idea. The island was somewhere between Australia and China, and didn't show up on most maps. And in any case, the twins and former sailors had been the only ones interested in going; and the boys weren't even taking history anymore! Fortunately, the other freshmans' grades were so low that Mr. Karpusi was able to turn it into an extra credit trip and avoid failing the rest of the class.

"We were wondering where you were," Arthur said softly when the girls finally reached the group. "Are you feeling alright?"

"We're fine," Holly promised, grinning. "It's so different now, though... I didn't realize what a few hundred years could do to a place." She looked off to a sandy patch to the right of the class's rock. A strange feeling pooled in her gut, and she lurched forward.

"Holly?" Antonio caught her arm. "Que tal? Is something wrong?"

"That's where you guys landed," she whispered, awestruck. "The longboat came ashore right there. Isn't that amazing?"

"How do you know that?" Kiku asked skeptically. He turned to the more rational twin. "Can you be sure? Certainly, the waves would have beaten it away."

"Well, the school was right next to that tree." Anya pointed. Where she remembered a scrawny sapling, a wide trunk stood up from the ground. "We saw them coming from the windows..." In her mind, Anya recreated the scene. She had watched the pirates leave their boat, cross the pools... "That really is where it was," she deduced. "Give or take a few feet."

"Hush," a random student said. "They've got a tour guide."

The five of them craned their necks to see the front of the group, where an elderly man with graying hair was waving for their attention. He was wearing khakis and a thick pair of glasses. All in all, he was an old nerd. "I'd like to bid you all welcome," he said in a strange accent. It felt pleasant on the girls' ears- they used to have the same tone of voice growing up. "I understand that you are a history class. This village may be small, but we have a rich heritage. I hope you can learn and enjoy your time here with us." An unenthusiastic smattering of applause began and quickly died out.

"I thought you might need some encouragement," the guide smiled. "We can start small. My name is Marcos Arroz. My great-great-grandmother used to be a teacher here, in this very village. Can anyone guess what she taught?"

Anya smiled widely as her hand shot up in the air.

"Yes, the young lady in the back."

"Spanish?" she guessed with feigned uncertainty. The students snickered, expecting as much from her. They waited eagerly for the tour guide to shoot her down.

Marcos blinked slowly, huge eyes dilating behind his spectacles. "Why, that's exactly right. I instructed your teacher not to tell you too much before your trip!"

"He didn't tell me!"

"Then how did you know?" Suddenly Marcos didn't look so elderly. He was challenging her for some reason.

"Ummm..." Anya panicked. "I... read about this place... online! Yeah, I read up on the village before the trip! And I thought I remembered that name!"

"Smooth," Holly giggled.

"Shut up," Anya whispered sweetly.

"Well, then." Marcos removed his glasses. "I suppose you won't mind telling your classmates about the biggest event to ever happen to our humble village. I'll give you a hint; it was over three hundred years ago."

The twins looked at each other. Biggest event? What could have happened in their village so long ago without them knowing?

... Wait.

"Captain Hook attacked your town?" one kid guessed randomly. Chuckles rippled through the crowd.

"Certainly not," Mr. Arroz huffed. He seemed almost disappointed. "You see, a set of twin girls-"

"Were taken captive by the pirate ship _Hetalia_," Anya declared. "On the grounds of the captains and crews gaining safe passage away from the island!"

"The captains promised to send the girls back, but a storm carried them off course," Arthur piped up.

"They were being chased by the Japanese Navy, and couldn't afford to turn back," Antonio added sadly.

"But the navy caught up with them, and accidentally took one of the twins hostage." Kiku edged closer to Anya.

"And after attempting to rescue the girl and the other hostages, the twins and the captains disappeared," Holly finished proudly.

The group became dead silent. The five of them finally realized that knowing the entire story wasn't exactly normal.

"... Mr. Karpusi, why don't you get your class settled in the auditorium of the upper school? My wife will be waiting to show you in." Marcos suggested. "I want to talk to those kids in the back."

"Eh?" He jumped, and the entire class instantly knew that he had nearly fallen asleep standing up. Again. "Oh, sure... This way, guys..." In minutes, the shore was abandoned, leaving the five teens with Marcos. He approached them slowly, but his stance was strong.

"What is it with the old people in your families?" Antonio whispered. "They don't act like normal old people!"

"That's because we don't want to, Mr. Carriedo," Marcos glared. "I would rather live out the rest of my life in good health, rather than grafted to a hospital bed."

"Oh, jeez! I'm sorry, senor, it's just-!" He stopped. "What did you just say?"

"Did I stutter, Mr. Carriedo? Perhaps you could ask Mr. Kirkland to repeat it for you."

"You know who we are." Arthur shook. "But how? The spell... It shouldn't be possi-"

"Come with me," Marcos ordered. He turned and started walking east, to the other end of the village.

"Can we trust him?" Kiku asked softly.

"I think so," Anya admitted. "He obviously knows something; he could be able to tell us what we need to know." They started jogging after the old man, and the girls soon realized just where they were being led.

"Sis!"

"I know," she shushed.

"What?" the guys asked, confused. Kiku stumbled when Anya glanced up at him, tears in her eyes.

"This is the way to our old home." The twins raced past Marcos and flew down the path; a left, a right, and over a hill where the shop used to be. The boys found them standing in front of a small, homey place with a plaque on the front door.

_In Memory of the Alvarez Family_

_Luciano, Elena, Anya, and Holly_

"There was an uproar when the twins didn't return," Marcos panted. The twins jumped and let him through to unlock the door. It swung open on greased hinges. "The village was furious at the pirates. Since the girls had no parents, most of the adults had cared for them at some time or another."

"Tessa's mom."

"Amy's dad."

"And many others, I'm sure," Marcos continued, ushering them in. They all sat on the floor, wondering at the little house. Everything looked exactly as they had left it. Marcos took a picture from a shelf and set it on the floor in front of him. Holly's smile, frozen forever in time, beamed at them from on top of Anya's shoulders.

"The girls' disappearance made the villagers realize just how defenseless they really were; they couldn't even protect two young girls! The pirates on the _Hetalia_ could have killed them, sold them into the slave trade... Or worse, for all they knew." Marcos looked pointedly at Toni and Arthur, who turned bright red with indignation. Holly shook her head at them warningly, and they held their tongues.

"What did they do, Sr. Arroz?" Anya asked. The others were shocked to hear her slip into that unidentifiable accent that the islanders possessed. "What happened to the pirates, and to the navy?"

He looked at her intently. "You are Anya, the eldest." He wasn't asking. "You volunteered to go with your sister, and keep an eye on her." He then turned to Holly. "And you, the youngest. You tried to befriend the captains, if the stories are accurate. Even as they had your teachers and classmates at their mercy?"

Holly blushed. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

For the first time since they met him, Marcos Arroz laughed. "I'm not sure how to answer that!" He sobered quickly. "But about your question... The stories say that the five of you disappeared from the battle on the naval ship without a trace, along with a few others. You were all presumed dead. The rescue party was forced to retreat, and they lost many men." He bowed his head. "Maybe a month later, the _Hetalia_ returned. They were badly beaten, and still recovering. When the last man came ashore, and with the captains and the girls nowhere in sight, they were attacked."

"No!" Holly gasped. "Mr. Arroz, they were our friends!"

"No one was killed," he assured her gently. "Although it took some time for the men to explain. A bosun put forth his theory about a spell, knowing of his captain's magical abilities. At first, no one believed them... But then someone mentioned a man named Javier."

"What does papa have to do with it?" Anya demanded, shuddering as she remembered that early morning on the ship. "He was killed, and no one knew who he was!"

"That's not quite true," Marcos corrected her. "I believe the lad's name was Valdez, one of the hostage crewmen. He told everyone his suspicions that his mate was the twins' father. Something that he said while they were captives together."

"It was pretty obvious in retrospect," Anya said sheepishly. "He even sang me that old lullaby, but I didn't realize it."

"What about our mates?" Antonio blurted anxiously. "What happened to them?"

"I'm worried about my crew, as well," Kiku confided. "Although I'm sure you wouldn't have any information on them."

"You are Captain Honda, correct?" Marcos asked. "Some of the Spanish crew spoke of you. They met with your men during the battle and discovered that you meant them no harm. They were very grateful, as I have heard. Your men were victorious, and there were few casualties."

"That is a relief," Kiku breathed. Anya grinned at him, and he smiled back, genuinely relaxed for the first time in days.

"That's all well and good," Arthur agreed. "But what about our men? You know, the ones who were injured and then attacked again? Your people didn't turn them out, did they?"

"Of course not!" Marcos exclaimed, affronted. "Those who were willing to give up pirating were welcomed as guests, especially after the whole village knew how the captains had protected our friends. Many of them settled right here. I happen to be excellent friends with Louisa Valdez, who still believes to this day that the stories her father and grandfather used to tell her were old wives tales."

He sighed and looked wearily at them. "Actually, there were few who believed Mr. Jameson's tales of Captain Kirkland and his magic. But my great-great-grandmother believed him, and made sure that each of her children and grandchildren and so on believed, as well. We always had a feeling that Mr. Valdez's story was true. I always entertained the notion that the notorious Captain Kirkland would show up again by way of magic. When I saw you girls today, I knew."

"So we're a fairy tale?" Anya scoffed. "That's really flattering."

"It should be. You, my dear, are my granddaughter's hero. I expect she'll be wanting your autograph." The old man gestured that they rise, and they exited the old house together. "Now, you kids should be in class, shouldn't you? This will be a learning experience for the ages."

"It already has been," Kiku said sincerely, reaching to shake his hand. "We can't thank you enough, Mr. Arroz. This is just what we all needed."

Marcos looked thoughtful, one hand on the doorknob. "You know... This is your home, and you know more about the history of this village than anyone. Would you like to stay for a while? I'll let your teacher know."

"Is that okay with you guys?" Holly squealed, practically hopping. "Oh my gosh, you have got to see everything! We can show you our room, and get some pictures to take home, and-!"

"Can we take our old things?" Anya inquired. "Our pictures, our books, and things like that? I know papa would like it. This is where we have all of the pictures of him and mama."

She was only halfway through her question before receiving a nod, but Marcos froze at the mention of her father. "Do I want to know?"

Arthur shook his head. "Not really."

"Then take whatever you want," he sighed. Walking away, he turned to look over his shoulder. "Oh, and one more thing." Marcos smiled and lightly bowed his head. "Welcome home."

* * *

><p>"Hey, what's this?" Kiku picked up a large black case. Holly looked up from her French book and her eyes widened and she ran forward.<p>

"Mine!" she cried, clutching it to her chest. "_My viola,_" she insisted, glaring.

"... Sorry?"

"It's okay," Anya laughed. "She hardly lets me touch it, and I helped pay for it."

"I say," Arthur commented. He emerged from the twins' closet, holding a knife and small pistol. "Whose are these?"

"That's where those went!" Anya exclaimed. She grabbed the weapons from Arthur as if they were plastic. "I need to keep a closer eye on these," she muttered, stowing one in each pocket.

"Good luck getting those through airport security," Antonio said dryly.

"... Crap."

"We'll manage," Kiku promised. He looked at Anya skeptically. "Are you sure you're feeling okay? This was your home for fifteen years."

"I'm surprisingly okay with it," she shrugged. "It's kind of hard to miss the house itself... Too many bad memories. I expected to feel really homesick, but now..." Anya shook her head in confusion. "I really just can't wait to get home. We need to fill papa in on what happened. Besides, there's something I have to do that I've been avoiding out of consideration for Mattie."

"What would that be?" Arthur asked cautiously.

The older twin smirked evilly. "Holly, remind me to introduce myself to your French teacher when we get home. If we've been lucky enough to find out who we are, I don't see why Mattie and Al can't have that kind of good fortune."

* * *

><p>Antonio couldn't take it anymore. It was absolute torture. He hadn't slept all night, and had been kicked out of the Sunday church service. There was a constant voice emanating from-<p>

"My phone would be doing me great favor by dying right now," Toni groaned. But he answered anyway. Flopping into his bed, he sighed. "Arthur, I told you. It is not the end of the world."

"Like hell it's not the end of the world that wanker won't leave my house and God, I swear he's flirting with my _mum_! Why in God's name did she _do_ that I don't care if I'm dating her sister I'm going to give her a piece of my mind-!"

The crazed Brit kept ranting. Or Toni supposed he did. He put down the phone and left it on his nightstand. He needed a walk. His mom's birthday was coming up... Maybe a trip to the mall was in order.

One step outside, and he was grateful that he was still wearing his stuffy button up shirt from church. The island had been warm, but it was nearing November in Oklahoma. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Toni hurried over to the mall. He wandered around for a while, trying to forget about Arthur's rants and wondering what his mom would like. There was that one perfume...

"Antonio?" A soft voice accosted him. Toni looked up to see Lili waving shyly at him. "Hi. What brings you here today?"

"Just browsing," he shrugged. "Not working today?"

"I'm on break," Lili giggled. She gestured behind her to the food court. "My brother wanted to wait until later to eat because I made sandwiches, but I'm a little hungry. Would you like to join me for some churros?"

"Did you just ask a Latin man if he wanted churros?" Toni laughed. "Sure, I could stand a few. I'll buy the smoothies?"

Lili blushed cutely at him. "S-Sure. If you don't mind."

"It's fine. I'll meet you right here in five, okay?" He winked and made his way over to the smoothie stand. _I'm flirting,_ he realized with a small jolt. _Maybe mama wasn't far off. _He could have been flirting with much worse, however. He hadn't noticed before, but Lili was very cute, near his age, and a sweet, quiet girl. And she obviously didn't despise him, because she had asked him to eat with her. Who knew? This could turn into something good.

"Lili, I got the-" Antonio almost bumped into one of the mall security guards. "Ah! _Lo siento!_ Are you okay?"

The guard removed his hat, tucking it under his arm. Dark eyes glared at Antonio from behind a shock of blond hair. "I'm fine. How do you know Lili?"

"Antonio, I got the churros!" Lili smiled, bouncing up to them. She jumped when she recognized the guard. "O-Oh, hello bruder. Do you want some churros, too?"

Toni gulped. "Y-You're Vash? Lili's big brother?"

"I am," he acknowledged. His eyes narrowed. "You're that Carriedo guy who's been to the jewelry shop so much lately." Vash's hand twitched for his baton.

Antonio laughed awkwardly, but was inwardly groaning. The universe just loved to make him squirm, didn't it?

* * *

><p><strong>We do apologize for the <em>one <em>late update. A huge storm knocked out Maya's internet T^T Her family is working on getting a new router or modem or whatever the Hufflepuff it's called. Nos vemos, carinos. We shall meet again!**


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